'No decision on extending 21-day Coronavirus lockdown': Govt sources put rumours to rest

Dismissing reports foretelling of the extension of the ongoing nationwide Coronavirus lockdown, government sources on Monday confirmed to Republic TV that no such decision has been taken yet. Sources said that the situation is fluid and any decision to extend the lockdown will be taken after considering the number of Coronavirus cases around April 10.

Minutes earlier, India's state broadcaster Prasar Bharati came down heavily on a news website after it published a report stating that the Modi government could extend the 21-day lockdown imposed to reduce the spread of novel Coronavirus. Taking to Twitter, Prasar Bharati News Service responded to the article by 'The Print' and called it "Fake News" 

'No such plan of extending the lockdown'

The tweet further said, "PBNS got in touch with the Cabinet Secretary on this news article. The Cabinet Secretary expressed surprise & said that there is no such plan of extending the lockdown."

News agency ANI quoted Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on the reports on extending lockdown saying, "I’m surprised to see such reports, there is no such plan of extending the lockdown."

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There are 1,024 positive cases of novel Coronavirus cases in India and the death toll reached 27 on Sunday, according to the latest official figures released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The total number of COVID-19 cases across the world has surpassed 6,90,000 and there have been over 33,034 coronavirus-related deaths as on Sunday.

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