India locks down 1.3bn people for 21 days

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday that India is to go in total lockdown for 21 days in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

India has a population of 1.3bn people which will be testing for the authorities trying to keep the order in place.

In a televised address to the nation Modi said, “To save India and every Indian, there will be a total ban on venturing out of your homes.”

Adding if they do not comply with the rules India will be “set back by 21 years,” the total lockdown begins from midnight.

On Twitter Modi said,”Tonight from 12 o’clock across the country, the entire lockdown is going to happen.” In a televised address he added: “There will be a total ban on venturing out of your homes.”

India has just 519 cases of coronavirus with 10 dead. According to the John Hopkins University, there are now 396,249 cases across the world with a total of 17,252 deaths.

The UK has a record number of deaths from coronavirus in just 24 hours, after 87 more people died in the UK, bringing the total to 422.

Department for Health and Social Care announced, “As of 9am on 24 March, a total of 90,436 have been tested: 82,359 negative. The UK now has 8,077 people with coronavirus.

England has a total 83 deaths out of the 87 in the UK, with two in Scotland, one in Wales, and one in Northern Ireland, which is up from 55 deaths across the whole of the UK on Monday.

The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has addressed the nation on Monday evening, he said he was “reluctant to do this” but he is effectively announcing a lockdown for three weeks.

Johnson gave a dramatic and historic address to the nation, meeting friends will now be banned, and only one form of exercise will be allowed per day.

Johnson told the nation, “The coronavirus is the biggest threat this country has faced for decades – and this country is not alone.

Powers not seen in the UK since wartime, the Prime Minister ordered, “From this evening I must give the British people a very simple instruction , you must stay at home.

Boris Johnson has been urged to deploy police at train stations as thousands of people are defying the governments lockdown, as tube trains remain packed.