Lockdown to continue till 31st May, Coronavirus cases in the country cros

New Delhi/Mumbai: The number of Coronavirus deaths in the country has crossed 3,000, and the number of cases has crossed 95,000. The pandemic claimed 63 lives in Maharashtra, and there was an addition of 2,347 new cases in the state. This takes the total number of cases in Maharashtra alone to more than 33,000. Mumbai reported 38 deaths on Friday, and there was an addition of 1,571 new cases. This is the highest number of new cases reported in a single day for the state and city of Mumbai so far. The number of cases in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu has crossed 10,000 and 11,000 respectively. Against this background, the decisions to extend the lockdown in the country till 31st May has been taken.

Five days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the lockdown would continue after 17th May. But he did not announce the period of extension for this fourth stage of lockdown. On Sunday, the union government announced the extension of the lockdown till 31st May. Some states had already declared the extension of the lockdown till 31st May, even before this announcement. The Union government has given the freedom to decide the containment, red, orange and green zones to the states. Now the decisions regarding this will be taken by the state governments. The Prime Minister had said that the format of the fourth state would be different. The guidelines issued by the union government reflect the same sentiment.

The union government has said that interstate buses can be started between states, with mutual consent. Sale and supply of non- essential, and other items have been allowed even in the red zones. Permission has been granted to open salons in the red zone. Stadiums and playgrounds will be opened. But schools and colleges will remain closed.

Hotels and restaurants will continue to remain closed. But the restaurants have been allowed to deliver food to their customers. Courier and postal services will resume. Wine shops, tobacco and cigarette vendors have been given permission to open. Entertainment parks, cinema halls, bar or auditoriums, shopping malls, gymnasiums and swimming pools will continue to remain closed.

Meanwhile, the number of Coronavirus cases in the country is consistently on the rise. A whopping 4,987 new Coronavirus cases were reported between Saturday and Sunday mornings. The health department informed that this had taken the total number of cases in the country to 90,927. But as per the information submitted by the states by Sunday evening, it has become evident that the number of cases in the country has crossed 95,000.