NEW DELHI: Indian premier Narendra Modi has decided to extend the coronavirus lockdown in the country amid a rising death toll.
A three-week lockdown had been due to end on the upcoming Tuesday, but several chief ministers from India’s 29 states and territories have been urging the Indian premier to prolong restrictions for the country.
The two states; Odisha and Punjab have already extended the lockdown by around two weeks. India has confirmed 7,600 infections and 249 deaths, according to a tally by US-based Johns Hopkins University.
Last month, India shut down its $2.9 trillion economies, closing its businesses and issued a strict stay-at-home order to more than a billion people. Air, road, and rail transport systems were suspended.
India’s 1.3 billion population is banned from leaving their homes, all non-essential businesses have been closed and almost all public gatherings are banned.
There are fears that a major coronavirus outbreak in India could result in a humanitarian catastrophe. The first case of the coronavirus pandemic in the country was reported on 30th January 2020.
Read more: CM Buzdar takes aerial view of lockdown situation in Punjab
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