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  • Confinement. India's appeal to the 1.3 billion inhabitants of the world's lowest woman: "Stay home"

India has recorded a record jump in daily coronavirus cases, with 7,964 new infected on Saturday. The increase in patients could cause Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend the confinement restrictions beyond May 31.

In an open letter marking a year in his second term, Modi has called on the country's 1.3 billion population to follow all the 'deadbolt' rules to stop the spread of the pandemic. The Prime Minister has insisted that there is "a long battle" ahead against the coronavirus. "Our country (is) besieged with problems amidst a vast population and limited resources," Modi said, adding that migrant workers have had "tremendous suffering" due to restrictions .

The government could extend the 'lock' beyond May 31, according to an Interior Ministry official. The Interior Ministry has not commented on this.

India has recorded a total of 173,763 coronavirus cases and 4,971 deaths, making it the ninth most affected country in the world. While death rates in India have been lower than in the most affected countries, experts warned that the peak has not been reached due to increasing cases of new infections.

Officials are also nervous about the advance of the pandemic in the towns due to the return of the unemployed to their homes from the cities.

Human rights activists and the opposition have criticized Modi's handling of the pandemic, accusing him of announcing an abrupt closure that left the poor in the lurch and forced thousands of people to walk or fight for space on buses and special trains to come home amid fear of infection.

More than 100 migrant workers died in accidents or starvation while desperately trying to return to their villages, the Interior Ministry official said.

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