Coronavirus Lockdown To Continue Beyond April 14? Govt Says Decision Will Be Declared At 'Right Time'

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the government would take any decision on Coronavirus lockdown considering the interest of the people.

Several states have written to the Centre urging continuation of restrictions. (Getty Image)

New Delhi: With only eight days left until the end of nationwide lockdown on April 14 and several apprehensions that the restriction period may be extended keeping in mind the significant rise in Coronavirus cases across the country, government on Monday said that it would announce its move at the 'right time'. Speaking at a media briefing, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the government would take any decisions considering the interest of the people amid the Covid-19 crisis that has left 111 people dead and 4,281 infected across the country. "We are monitoring the world situation every minute and therefore decisions are ultimately taken in the nation's and people's interests. That decision will be declared whenever the right time is there," he said in response to a question during a Cabinet press briefing about the government's thinking on the lockdown issue. WATCH REPORT | Coronavirus: The Lockdown Might Not Be Over After April 14 While the Cabinet Secretary Rajeev Guba, had last week, denied the claims of government planning to extend the nationwide lockdown, several states have written to the Centre urging continuation of restrictions. Earlier in the day, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao suggested that the nationwide lockdown should be extended for a couple of weeks to contain the spread of Coronavirus. He appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend the lockdown beyond April 14 for one or two weeks. Similar calls were made in Uttar Pradesh where the total number of Covid-19 positive cases surged past 300-mark. Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi even stated that there are little possibility of lifting lockdown after April 15. ALSO WATCH | Coronavirus Outbreak: Did PM Modi Indicate At Extending Nationwide Lockdown? "We will not be in a position to lift the lockdown even if a single case of COVID-19 is left in Uttar Pradesh. So it can take time," he said. Coronavirus Outbreak: The National Picture Out of the total Covid-19 cases in Inida, 3,851 are active cases, 318 individuals have recovered and discharged from the hospital, one person migrated to another country and 111 people succumbed to the disease, according to the data published by the Ministry in the evening. Maharashtra remained the worst-hit state with a total number of positive cases rising to 748, followed by Tami Nadu which reported 571 cases, and then Delhi which has reported 523 cases, according to the Health Ministry data. In Andaman and Nicobar Islands, there are at least 10 cases, Uttarakhand has also reported 26 cases, Arunachal Pradesh has 1, Goa has 7 cases, Chhattisgarh has 10, Himachal Pradesh 13, Jharkhand 4 and Manipur have 2 cases, Odisha has 21 cases and Puducherry 5.