Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday extended the nationwide lockdown till May 3 and said a detailed document with guidelines on the same would be released on Wednesday. There will be strict enforcement of the lockdown for six days, till April 20, after which there could be relaxation in specific areas after an assessment of the situation.

“The virus is spreading fast. I held multiple meetings with chief ministers, authorities to find out ways to control the spread with minimum effect on the growth of India. Keeping in mind the suggestions and the risks, lockdown in India will be extended till May 3. We need to stop the spread of the virus,” PM Modi said in a 25-minute address to the nation.

His announcement came on a day when the number of coronavirus cases in India crossed the 10,000 mark to 10,363 including 8,988 active cases, 1,035 cured and 339 deaths.

Shortly after the announcement, the Indian Railways and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that railway and air services, respectively, would be suspended till May 3.

On the global front, more than 1.9 million infections have been reported, with over 1,19,000 deaths, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally. The United States has the highest number of cases (581,679) and fatalities (over 23,000) from COVID-19.