Coronavirus Pandemic Live Updates: India Begins 14-Hour Curfew To Curb Coronavirus Spread

New Delhi: Millions across the country are staying in today to counter the threat from the highly contagious COVID-19, a disease spread by the Novel Coronavirus, which has disrupted economies and killed thousands across the world.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an address to the nation on Thursday urged citizens to stay indoors – a move that he said would be a crucial test for a country to assess its abilities to fight the pandemic. “Let us all be a part of this curfew, which will add tremendous strength to the fight against the COVID-19 menace,” Modi tweeted minutes before the curfew commenced. “The steps we take now will help in the times to come,” he said in the tweet. NDtv Reported.

Health experts said India’s cases have been growing at a rate seen during the early stages of the outbreak in other countries, which subsequently reported exponential increases in infections. Several states announced measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.  State leaders urged citizens not to rush to villages, avoid crowding trains and buses to prevent the virus spread. Tensions have mounted, however, with angry laborers protesting at some bus stations against sudden closures of basic transport services. Private events, such as weddings, and local elections were cancelled. The federal government was accelerating the production of masks and allowed deodorant manufacturers to produce sanitizers.

PM Modi has requested citizens to stand at balconies and near windows on Sunday evening to clap, ring bells to admire the emergency personnel and sanitation workers who are at the frontline in the fight against coronavirus.