Photo Story: India adapts to the ‘new normal’

Workers draw circles to maintain social distance for the devotees on premises of the historical temple of the Goddess Kali, during the ongoing lockdown amid coronavirus covid-19 alert in Jammu, India.

The Indian government has decided to provide some relaxation in the ongoing lockdown which will continue through 30 June 2020.

Restrictions will be eased in a phased manner with places of worship, hospitality services and shopping malls scheduled to be opened in the initial phase. The areas termed as ‘containment zones’ will be identified by authorities and will remain under complete lockdown.

India reported a record 9,887 new coronavirus cases in one day on Saturday and overtook Italy as the world’s sixth-biggest outbreak, two days before the relaxing of a lockdown with the reopening of malls, restaurants, and places of worship.

With its total number of cases rising to more than 236,000, India now has fewer infections than only the United States, Brazil, Russia, Britain and Spain, according to a Reuters tally.

However, India’s toll of deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, is 6,642, small compared with those other countries.

Via EPA-EFE/JAIPAL SINGH