India considers narrowing lockdown to coronavirus hotspots

Authorities in India are planning to impose stricter regulations on coronavirus hotspots, while easing restrictions in parts that have no reported cases.

The more targeted approach is a way out of a three-week lockdown that ends on April 14, health officials explained, adding that the affected area and its neighbouring districts will be sealed off with a virtual curfew in place.

"It is a lockdown, within a lockdown," they added.  

According to the government data, more than 80 per cent of the positive cases have been traced to 62 districts, mainly in Delhi, Maharashtra, and the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Kerala.

"To manage coronavirus, we are working on a cluster containment strategy," said Health Ministry joint secretary Lav Agarwal, adding that it's already been implemented in east Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan's Bhilwara.

So far, India has had 5,360 infections and 164 deaths.