India extended the confinement of the country this Sunday to curb the spread of the coronavirus until at least "May 31", the Interior Ministry announced. The National Emergency Management Authority added that the restrictions will however be changed "if necessary to facilitate economic activities while containing the virus".
This containment, which affects 1.3 billion people - the largest on the planet - has been in place since the end of March and has had dramatic consequences for the poorest and most precarious Indians, who have been millions. to lose their jobs.
Many extended bans
Schools, places of worship, shopping malls, cinemas and sports clubs should remain closed. The ban on religious gatherings and sporting events is also being extended, the ministry said. Subways as well as domestic and international flights also remain suspended. The curfew running from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. which prohibits all travel except for essential services remains in place.
Finally, restaurants will only be allowed to serve for takeout. Stadiums and sports arenas can be used for meetings, but without an audience.
Peak infections not yet reached
The extension to containment was announced on Sunday, the same day the country recorded the highest 24-hour increase in cases, with 4,987 new infections. In India, the toll rises to more than 90,000 cases and 2,872 deaths. "India will not live the worst because of Covid-19, unlike other countries," Health Minister Harsh Vardhan tweeted, adding that governors of Indian states have the flexibility to tailor measures to the local situation.
Health experts estimate that the country will not experience the peak of infections until June or July, and called for more tests to determine the extent of the contamination.
Migrant worker crisis
In addition, the collapse of the economy caused a migrant worker crisis, as many companies closed when containment was introduced. Unemployed and hungry, these migrants left the cities, some walking hundreds of kilometers. Dozens have died in accidents or from exhaustion.
Still others stranded in cities clashed with police during protests in which they demanded permission to return to their villages of origin. On Sunday, five police officers and a journalist were injured during one of them in Rajkot, Gujarat state.
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