COVID-19: Lucknow Police Commissioner urges people to stay indoors

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Mar 26 : Lucknow Commissioner of Police Sujit Pandey urged the people of the city to stay indoors in order to stay safe amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"At the time of a lockdown, please come out of your houses only if there is an emergency or a medical reason," said Pandey.

"All essential necessary food, vegetables, ration, milk, fruits and medicines would be available just like before. There is no need to create pc. The shops of essential commodities will remain open from 6 to 11 in the morning," he added.

He also urged the public to cooperate with the police and administration and not to crowd shops. "Go to the shops one at a time rather than crowding them," he said.

In his address to the nation on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown in the entire country beginning Tuesday midnight to deal with the spread of coronavirus, saying that "social distancing" is the only option to deal with the disease, which spreads rapidly.

The total number of people who have been confirmed positive for COVID-19 in India has risen to 649, according to the recent update by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Thursday morning.

( With inputs from ANI )