KOLKATA: West Bengal and Mizoram on Monday announced an extension of coronavirus lockdown in their states. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that the lockdown will be extended till 30 June. After a meeting of the state cabinet, she said that, "The lockdown is being extended in the state till June 30, with all existing relaxations and conditions still in place. Earlier, we had allowed only 10 people at social programmes such as a marriage or a funeral ceremony, now we have increased it to 25"

In an order later issued on Monday afternoon by chief secretary Rajiva Sinha, the government said the strict lockdown restrictions would apply to containment zones.

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga decided to extend lockdown till June 22 so as to contain the spread of coronavirus in the state. A meeting of ministers, an association of doctors, churches, NGOs, and village councils has been held prior to taking the decision.

The Chief Minister said that the total lockdown will be strictly imposed in all cities and towns, however, certain areas especially in rural areas will be relaxed depending upon the need of the people and essentiality of the area. He further added that the state is facing a critical condition like that of the entire globe. He has also decided to extend the quarantine period from 14 to 21 days.

The health department official said that, "Cities and towns in Mizoram will be placed under a complete of a spike in coronavirus cases, but there could be area-wise moderation, particularly in rural areas."

Last week, the Manipur government also announced the extension of lockdown till June 30. Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that the extension of lockdown is to save the lives of people from the coronavirus outbreak. The COVID-19 cases across the country continue to rise unabated, the total number of cases have crossed 2.5 lakh mark.

West Bengal reported high number of cases in the last 24 hours. There are 8,187 COVID-19 cases in West Bengal and nearly 324 people have lost their lives due to coronavirus infection. The West Bengal government had already eased curbs in the state from June 1, allowing places of worship to reopen and full operationalisation of the jute, tea, and construction sectors.