Indian stock and commodity markets as well as central government offices will be excluded from lockdowns, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said. Earlier, Uddhav Thackeray, the chief minister of Maharashtra had announced that all shops and offices except those providing essential services in the country's financial capital Mumbai and other key cities such as Pune and Nagpur would remain closed until March 31 in an attempt to restrict the spread of coronavirus.
"Banks, stocks and commodity exchanges are excluded from the restrictions. Central government offices will also remain operational in Mumbai," Tope said.
The state's chief minister said that the government has no intention of putting the state on complete lockdown.
"The government till now has not taken any decision on declaring a complete shutdown of the state," said Thackeray. He, however, has ordered the closing of all schools and colleges in the state.
The chief minister also said that the government will bear the cost of the treatment for coronavirus patients.
The central government today reported 195 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, about double from five days ago.
Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ordered all malls, except grocery and pharmacy shops, to shut.
