The government of Tamil Nadu have extended the lockdown in the state till May 31. However, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said that there will be more relaxations. The states of Punjab and Mizoram has also extended the lockdown till May 31. Telengana had earlier extended the lockdown up to May 29.
A leading daily had earlier reported that the Tamil Nadu government had decided to keep the ban on public transport, gyms, malls and theatres in Lockdown 4.0. Industries might work with some more concessions and the government offices would work with 50 per cent strength, said the report.
The Tamil Nadu government had also requested the Centre not to resume regular air, rail services till May 31, except special trains for migrants.
Meanwhile, on Saturday alone, 81 persons, who returned to Tamil Nadu from Maharashtra tested positive for COVID-19, according to Health Minister C Vijayabaskar.
“Just as our overall numbers were going down and the coronavirus curve was flattening, we have this fresh challenge of Tamil people returning from other States and countries testing positive for COVID-19. All of them are being tested at the check posts and quarantined. Of the 477 new patients on Saturday, 93 belonged to the returnee category. This accounts for 20 per cent of our total cases,” Vijayabaskar said.
The total number of people who tested positive for COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu are 10,585 and the death toll is 74.
