NEW DELHI: India today (Tuesday) extended the nationwide lockdown, world’s biggest shutdown, until May 3 as the number of coronavirus infections crossed 10,000.
In a televised address to the nation, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Till May 3, India will have to stay in lockdown. I request all Indians to follow the rules in order to halt the spread of coronavirus.”
Modi further said that the challenge was to stop the virus from spreading to new parts of the country. However, he also held out hopes that next week the government could ease some restrictions in the least affected areas to allow essential activities.
He said, “The nation has benefited greatly from social distancing and lockdown. If we only look at it from an economic standpoint, it looks expensive.”
“We’ve had to pay a huge cost, but before the lives of Indians this has no comparison,” Narendra Modi added.
The prime minister didn’t offer any relief for millions of people who have lost their jobs amid lockdown. He said that he felt their pain with poor families struggling to afford food, and many migrant workers unable to reach their villages.
So far, coronavirus has claimed the lives of more than 300 people across India and has affected more than 10,000 people, according to the Indian health ministry.
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