PM Modi to address the nation again tonight amid the coronavirus crisis
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second address on COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, comes just days after his first address on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation once again on Tuesday evening on the COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, crisis. His second address on the global pandemic comes just days after his first address on Thursday, as the number of people in India infected with coronavirus continues to rise.
“Will address the nation at 8 PM today, 24th March 2020, on vital aspects relating to the menace of COVID-19,” PM Modi tweeted on Tuesday morning.
In his televised address, last week, PM Modi had urged citizens to take precautionary measures to combat the novel coronavirus. He had also appealed to the country to observe a janata curfew on Sunday, March 22, from 7 am to 9 pm, to prevent the spread of the virus.
“These are testing times, but we all have to maintain discipline, to prevent the spread of the virus," he had said.
The janata curfew seemed like a success till evening, before several citizens across the country started to gather in ‘celebration’, defeating the very purpose of the restrictions.
Starting Monday, most parts of the country started going into strict lockdown, restricting movement, travel, and work till March 31. While most busy streets across the country wore a deserted look, there were people who were still found to be flouting the rules.
Concerned by this, PM Modi on Monday appealed to the people of India to take the lockdown seriously.
"Many people are still not taking the lockdown seriously. Please save yourself, save your family, follow the instructions seriously," he tweeted.
Inter-state buses, passenger trains, and metro services have been suspended till the end of the month and domestic airlines will also stop flying after midnight tonight.
On Monday, Narendra Modi held two separate interactions with heads of media houses and leaders of India Inc. via video conferencing, to discuss the coronavirus crisis.
The novel coronavirus has so far taken nine lives in India and infected over 490 people. Across the globe, it has killed more than 16,550 and infected over 3,81,760 people, according to real-time population data tracker, Worldometer.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus a global pandemic on March 11.
(Edited by Teja Lele Desai)
