Nationwide lockdown extended till May 31; NDMA issues letter

Amid coronavirus outbreak, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Sunday announced that the nationwide lockdown has been extended till May 31. The whole country is under the lockdown since March 24. It is the fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has asked the Ministries/ Departments of Government of India, State Governments and State Authorities to continue the lockdown measures up to May 31, 2020. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has also directed the National Executive Committee (NEC) to issue modifications in the guidelines, as necessary keeping in view the need to open up economic activities while containing the spread of coronavirus. The development that comes on a day when the number of COVID-19 cases in the country rose to over 90,000. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu — two of the most affected states in the country — have already announced that they were extending lockdown till May 31. Also Read | Shopping malls, barber shops likely to open during lockdown 4.0 The total number of coronavirus cases in India has surged to 90,927 after the highest-ever spike of 4,987 positive cases were reported in the last 24 hours, as of Sunday morning. According to the Health Ministry, the death toll has increased to 2,872 after 120 new deaths were reported from the country in the last 24 hours. -PTC News