After Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu too, with 10585 cases of Coronavirus and 74 fatalities, has extended the COVID-19 lockdown in the state till May 31.
However, the administration has given some relaxations in 25 districts including Coimbatore, Salem, Trichy and the Nilgiris but schools, colleges, places of worship, cinema halls and bars will remain closed during the extension period.
While travelling will be allowed during this period for essential services, without the issuing of e-passes.
Today Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray led Maharashtra government has also extended the Coronavirus lockdown till May 31 with the state seeing no respite from the pandemic. The worst hit state due to COVID-19 outbreak has seen 30706 cases of the virus so far.
Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta has issued an order notifying extension of the present lockdown which was valid till May 17.
The lockdown is imposed in the entire state, but a calibrated phase-wise relaxation/lifting of lockdown orders will be notified in due course, according to the government notification.
With around one-third of the country’s total cases, Maharashtra has reported 1,606 new cases in a single day on Saturday. While the total fatalities in the state crossed 1135 mark. The positive cases in the state capital Mumbai reached 18,555 with 884 fresh cases.
Punjab and Mizoram too had earlier extended the current lockdown till May 31, while Telanagana’s lockdown will continue till May 29.
With a sudden jump in Tamil Nadu earlier this week becoming the third-worst hit state in the country after 2,600 cases of the virus were reported from a wholesale vegetable and fruits market in Koyambedu, near the state capital Chennai.
The Koyambedu wholesale market Coronavirus cluster has continued its major contribution to the increase the number of new infections in Tamil Nadu.
On May 9, in a major relief for the people of the state, Tamil Nadu government had announced some relaxations in the Coronavirus lockdown in non-containment zones from May 11.
The government had allowed the functioning of essential shops from 6 am to 7 pm. Till now, they had to be shut at 1 pm.
Standalone and neigbourhood shops have been permitted from 10 am to 6 pm, while in Chennai, they have allowed from 10.30 am to 6 pm. Tea shops have been allowed to open across the state only for takeaway from 6 am to 7 pm.
The government had said that tea stalls should be sanitised five times a day while adding that nobody would be allowed to drink tea outside or inside the stall.
All private enterprises in the metropolitan Madras Police Boundary Area have been permitted to operate with a maximum of 33 per cent of the total workforce from 10:30 am to 6 pm and in remaining districts in Tamil Nadu from 10 am to 7 pm.
However, these relaxations are not applicable in containment zones, the government added.
Fuel outlets in Chennai are functioning from 6 am to 6 pm. Fuel outlets outside Chennai are function between 6 am and 8 pm while those on the highways are opening for 24 hours.
The government had reiterated that social distancing guidelines must be strictly followed at all times, while adding that shops and establishments must be disinfected on a regular basis.
Last month, five cities of Tamil Nadu – including the state capital Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Salem and Madurai were put under “intense lockdown” from April 26-29.