New Delhi, Mar 24 (PTI) A total of 32 states and Union territories have declared complete lockdown so far covering 560 districts, in a bid to contain the coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Tuesday.
Three other states and UTs have imposed lockdown in certain areas in their territories, covering 58 districts, and one union territory has imposed closure of some activities in its jurisdiction.
"Following the central government's communication to state governments and UTs, a total of 32 states and UTs have imposed complete lockdown covering 560 districts," a government official said.
There are 28 states and eight UTs in the country.
The Centre has also asked states to enforce additional restrictions, if necessarthat kj to imposition of curfew in Punjab and Maharashtra.
As many people continued to venture out despite the lockdown order, Puducherry, besides Punjab and Maharashtra, had ordered curfew so that no one goes out of home.
The death toll due to the novel coronavirus pandemic rose to nine on Monday after West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh reported a casualty each, while the number of confirmed cases climbed to nearly 500.
According to the data updated Tuesday morning, the total number of COVID-19 cases rose to 492, including 446 active cases.
The figure includes 41 foreign nationals and the nine deaths reported so far, the Health Ministry said. Seven deaths were earlier reported from Maharashtra (two), Bihar, Karnataka, Delhi, Gujarat and Punjab.
Thirty-seven people have been cured/discharged/migrated, according to the official data.
The number of active cases at 446 saw an increase of 22 from last night's figure, it said.
As cases of the viral infection surged, authorities have put almost the entire country under lockdown, banning gathering of people and suspending road, rail and air traffic till March 31
The states which have imposed lockdown in all districts include Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland.
The other states include: Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Ladakh, Tripura, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, Jharkhand, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Haryana, Daman Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Karnataka and Assam.
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, meanwhile, has written a letter to State Chief Secretaries urging them to monitor the situation round the clock.
Gauba said additional restrictions if necessary may be imposed and all current restrictions must be enforced strongly.
All violations should be met with legal action, the Cabinet Secretary told the states and UTs.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla also held a video conference with DGPs of all states and asked them to strictly implement the lockdown and take action against those who violate it
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to state governments to ensure that rules and regulations of the coronavirus lockdown are enforced strictly as he noted that many people were not following the measures seriously.
"Many people are still not taking the lockdown seriously. Please save yourself, save your family, follow the instructions seriously. I request state governments to ensure rules and laws are followed," Modi said in a tweet in Hindi.
