Tamil Nadu announces complete lockdown for two weeks from Monday

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Friday announced that a full lockdown will be imposed in the state for two weeks, starting 10 May.

The decision was taken to arrest the spread of coronavirus.

In view of the new restrictions, the government said that all grocery shops will function until 12 pm. Restaurants have been allowed to stay open only for takeaway services.

The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) shops have been ordered to remain closed.

All non-essential services in state department will remain shut. Secretariat, health, revenue, disaster management, police, fire service, prison departments, local administration, EB, PWD, social welfare, forests department will function.

Restrictions on cinemas, multiplexes, theatres, gyms, recreation clubs, bars, auditoriums, meeting halls, and other similar places shall continue.

This comes a day after the state recorded 26,465 new Covid-19 cases in the biggest single-day spike so far, pushing the caseload to 13,23,965. State capital Chennai accounted for 6,738 of the new infections, totalling 3,77,042.

Fatality count also reached a record high at 197, taking the cumulative death toll to 15,171.

The Union health ministry said on Friday that Tamil Nadu is among the states showing an upward trend in daily new cases.

The southern state had earlier extended a night curfew and complete Sunday lockdown orders until further orders.