Tamil Nadu extends lockdown till April 30, seventh state to do so

Chennai : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Monday announced an extension of lockdown till April 30, a move to contain the spread of coronavirus. He claimed that the decision has been taken in accordance with the recommendations made by public health experts.

With this Tamil Nadu has become the seventh state to do so after Maharashtra, Punjab, Odisha, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Telangana. The states have also extended the lockdown for two weeks.

Referring to the meeting of the chief ministers of 13 states with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on coronavirus, Mr Palaniswami said leaders of several other states have also favoured extending the lockdown, news agency PTI reported.

After a video conference with the CMs, PM Modi also hinted that the two-week extension of lockdown is likely.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also stressed the need to protect both lives and the economy.

"In my first address I had said, 'Jaan hai to jahaan hai (If there is life, the world will exist)'. We must now look at Jaan bhi, jahaan bhi (life and the world)," he had said.

The lockdown was announced by PM Modi on March 24 for three weeks to break the chain of infections.