COVID-19 cases cross 600

Coronavirus India Lockdown Live Updates: As the country goes into full lockdown for 21 days due the coronavirus outbreak, the Ministry of Home Affairs Wednesday issued a statement saying, the proposed National Population Register (NPR) exercise along with the first phase of Census 2021 stand postponed until further notice. Fresh cases were reported in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Mizoram on Wednesday, taking the number of confirmed cases to 606. The casualties in India increased to 11 after a 54-year-old man infected with coronavirus died in Tamil Nadu.

Urging people not to panic, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the government is prepared to ensure supply of essential goods to the citizens. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also urged residents to stay indoors. "I am at home listening to Mrs CM, you listen to your home minister," he said. Within minutes of Modi's address, there were reports of panic buying for groceries and provisions from across the nation. The prime minister later clarified that essential items will be available.

Meanwhile, France reported 240 new deaths from coronavirus on Tuesday taking the toll to 1,100, an increase of 28 per cent that made France the fifth nation to cross the 1,000-fatalities threshold after — China, Italy, Iran and Spain. In the United States, which is among the worst affected countries, the number of coronavirus cases jumped by nearly 10,000 while about 150 Americans died in a day even as President Donald Trump hoped to reopen the country's economy by Easter, April 12.

(Inputs and image from theindianexpress.com)