What the PM means by a graded lifting of the 21-day lockdown

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday suggested a graded lifting of the 21-day lockdown for areas other than the Covid-19 hotspots in the country.
 

Here's what PM Modi means by a graded lifting of the lockdown and what are these so-called Covid-19 hotspots in the country:
 

But first, the latest update on the outbreak:

The number of Covid-19 positive cases in India has reached 4,778, with 693 new cases being reported in the past 24 hours alone. So far, around 136 people have died of the disease and the Union Health Ministry suggests that the country is somewhere between Stage 2 and 3 of the coronavirus pandemic.

Globally, the death toll has surpassed 74,768 and the number of infections has risen to 1,347,330.
 

Coming back to what the prime minister said on the lifting of the lockdown.
 

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hinted that the 21-day lockdown might end on April 14, but only in areas which are not categorised as Covid-19 hotspots. At a meeting of the council of ministers, PM Modi suggested a “graded lifting of the lockdown”, but also appeared keen that production, at least in sectors like pharmaceuticals, should be ramped up.
 

Coronavirus hotspots, as the name suggests, are the areas reporting the maximum number of positive cases.
 

At present, the government is focusing on 10 hotspots across the country, where more than 1,200 people have been infected and at least 35 have died.
 

In Delhi, the hotspots identified include Nizamuddin West and Dilshad Garden, Bhilwara in Rajasthan, Noida and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra, Ahmedabad in Gujarat and Kasaragod and Pathanamthitta in Kerala.
 

State-wise, Maharashtra has reported the biggest number of cases followed by Delhi and Kerala, respectively.

In view of this, on Monday, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend the 21-day national lockdown, to check the spread of the coronavirus, beyond April 14, saying it was essential to save the lives of people.

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