2 new COVID-19 cases reported in Maharashtra, total tally reaches 124

The total tally of coronavirus positive cases in Maharashtra reached 124 on Thursday after two new cases of the infection were reported in Thane and Mumbai respectively, the state health department said.

The government has ordered a state-wide lockdown for the next 21 days, after calling the measures to be in place till March 31, keeping in tandem with the directives by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on Tuesday.

Essential services like food items, vegetables, fruits, grocery and bakery items are exempted from lockdown and the vendors can provide home deliveries.

The state government, meanwhile, has permitted the printing and distribution of newspapers from April 1. The newspaper services were halted after the state government announced lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Number of cases of coronavirus cases in the country is now at 649 according to the Union health ministry update on Thursday morning (10.15 am). There are 593 COVID-19 active cases.