The Ministry of Home Affairs Wednesday issued revised guidelines for the extended lockdown, in which it gave relaxation to agriculture, e-commerce and select industrial activities from April 20. The government also granted exemptions to all health services, financial services, MNREGA works, public utilities, supply of goods and cargo services, saying strict action will be taken against those violating it. The lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday for another 19 days till May 3.

Meanwhile, the death toll due to the coronavirus epidemic rose to 377 and the total number of infections crossed the 11,000-mark in India to reach 11,439 including 1,305 people who have been treated and discharged on Wednesday. As many as 24 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours from across the country, which recorded over 1,400 new cases on the day the nationwide lockdown was extended for another 19 days. Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of cases at 2,726 including 160 deaths and 229 cured cases followed by Delhi with 1,568 infections including 28 deaths and Tamil Nadu with 1,242 cases and 11 deaths.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing an extension of the lockdown, migrant labourers, rendered homeless and without jobs, came out on roads in Mumbai’s Bandra, asking to be sent back home. In Surat too, hundreds of textile labourers came out on the streets demanding to go back to their home states because they were not getting enough food.

Globally, the total number of novel coronavirus cases has neared 2 million at 1,982,552, including 1,26,577 deaths. The death toll in the United States crossed 25,000 on Tuesday with the country witnessing the highest single-day tally of 2,129. In total, 25,981 Americans have died due to the deadly virus, Johns Hopkins University said. This is followed by Italy (21,067) and Spain (18.056). The total number of infections is also highest in the US at 608,458 followed by Spain (173,060), Italy (162,488), Germany (132,210) and France (131,361.