India to go under total coronavirus lockdown: PM Modi

India’s 1.3 billion people will go under “total lockdown” from midnight Tuesday (1830 GMT) for 21 days to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

“From 12 midnight today, the entire country will be in lockdown, total lockdown,” Modi said in a national television address to the world’s second most-populous nation.

“To save India, to save its every citizen, you, your family... every street, every neighborhood is being put under lockdown.”

Following his televised address, Modi said in a Tweet “There is absolutely no need to panic,” reassuring Indians that essential commodities, medicines would be available.

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On Sunday, India launched a 14-hour long curfew to limit the fast-spreading coronavirus epidemic in the country, where 315 people have so far been found to have contracted the disease.

On March 12, India barred foreigners from entering the country in an effort to combat the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

(With AFP)