KOHIMA, APRIL 14 (MExN): The Nagaland Government has ordered that the current lockdown in the State will continue till May 3.
In an order, the Nagaland Chief Secretary informed that the existing lockdown measures would continue to be implemented in all parts of the State.
The order came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced an extension of the current nationwide lockdown till May 3, claiming social distancing is the only way to pass the "agnipariksha".
He also said the shutdown will be enforced with stricter nature and all states will be evaluated on their performance in containing the outbreak. If any state or its any district is found satisfactory, certain areas may be given conditional reprieve from April 20, said the PM Modi.
Modi stressed that the focus should be not to allow creation of any new hotspots.
"India started screening at airports even before we had one corona positive patient in the country. Even though we had 550 cases, India took a big decision to completely shutdown India. We didn't wait for the problem to erupt," stressed PM Modi.
Making a comparison internationally, the PM said that India is in a far better position than other nations who are battling with thousands of corona positive cases.
"Every town ,every police station, every district, every state till April 20 will be tested like how much lockdown is being followed, how much that area has protected itself from corona, and it will be analysed and seen," Modi said.
"And the areas that will succeed in this litmus test, which will not be in the hotspot, and who will be less likely to turn into a hotspot, there, some important activities can be allowed from April 20," he said.
He said a detailed guideline will be issued on Wednesday by the government for a limited access. "This is being made keeping in mind the condition of the poor and daily wage workers," he said.
On Tuesday, the total number of COVID-19 patients in India rose to 10,363, with 339 deaths across the country.
