Amid speculations that the COVID-19 lockdown may be extended beyond April 14 midnight, Cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba on Monday said the Centre does not have any plan to extend the nation-wide lockdown.
He expressed surprise that reports were doing the rounds in some sections of the media that the lockdown will be extended beyond 21 days.
Meanwhile, positive coronavirus cases have went above 1,000 in the country as of Sunday evening.
As many as 27 deaths in COVID-19 have been reported so far in the country.
Also read: Mizoram: COVID-19 patient’s relatives discharged, home quarantined
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has conducted at least 34,931 tests for coronavirus confirmation till Sunday, it said.
Meanwhile, the Centre has asked state governments and union territories to effectively seal all state and district borders.
Monday is the sixth day of the country-wide lockdown.
The lockdown for 21 days was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 last.
On Sunday, in his ‘Mann Ki Baat‘ radio broadcast, Modi sought the nation’s forgiveness for the hardships caused by the nationwide lockdown.
Also read: Fight against COVID-19: Modi apologizes for imposing a 21-day lockdown
Modi, however, justifying the act, said it was necessary because the country was fighting a battle between life and death.
He, however, expressed confidence that the country will triumph over the coronavirus crisis and praised the front-line workers in this fight as well as countless workers delivering the essential services.
The government announced some more exemptions to the lockdown by allowing movement of all goods, irrespective of those being in essential or non-essential categories.