Tamil Nadu extends 'Janata Curfew' till Monday 5 am

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu has extended "Janata Curfew" till 5 am tomorrow in fight against coronavirus. Millions across the country are observing the 14-hour self-curfew call today given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the number of COVID-19 cases cross the 300-mark.

The curfew call - being viewed as a test run for social distancing to curb spread of COVID-19 - has affected rail and road traffic in Tamil Nadu after the metro and bus services were suspended for a day. This morning, state's arterial roads, including Chennai's GST Road, wore a deserted look.

Restaurants, hotels, roadside eateries and other shops are Seven COVID-19 cases have been reported across the southern state, one of them has been cured as India witnesses a significant spike in coronavirus count, which has already crossed the 300-mark. The one-day "janata curfew", one of the biggest national exercises in the world, has been necessitated by the rising cases.

PM Modi has called for social distancing to curb the spread, urging people to avoid stepping out of their homes "unless absolutely necessary". "Under this Janata curfew, no one should leave their home or gather in their neighbourhoods. Only those related to essential services should go out," the Prime Minister said in a televised address on Saturday.

Coronavirus - declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization - has spread to over 140 countries, killing over 13,000, infecting nearly 3 lakh.also shut in most parts.

Petrol dealers have also joined the lockdown call and beaches across Chennai, including the famous Marina Beach, are shut.

Essential services like milk distribution and hospitals (including the state-run Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital which treats COVID-19 patients and the Stanley) are functioning as usual.