Fact check: Is the coronavirus lockdown extended to May 4?

New Delhi, Apr 02: Has the central government decided to extend coronavirus lockdown till May? No, but a fake image of a bulletin ran by India Today claiming that the lockdown, which is supposed to come to an end on 14 April, has been extended till 4 May has gone viral on social media.

The morphed image is taken from the day India Today broadcast Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to nation in which he announced the three weeks complete lockdown.

When verified it was found that the text in the original bulletin "PM Modi Coronavirus Address; Announces Nationwide Lockdown For Three Weeks" has been replaced words, which says nationwide lockdown has been increased till 4 May.

While the attire of PM Modi is the same in both the images, the difference in fonts between the two images can be easily identifiable.

It is to be noted that after PM Modi's address to the nation on March 24, he has not addressed the country again.

Since the announcemet of the lockdown, speculations are rife on various social media that the lockdown would be extended for next three months to contain the spread of coronavirus in India.

Meanwhile, the government on Monday said that there was no immediate plan to extend the 21-day lockdown amid fears that shutdown of businesses across the country to counter the spread of coronavirus might trigger severe economic and social distress.

In a tweet, the government's Press Information Bureau said: "There are rumours & media reports, claiming that the Government will extend the #Lockdown21 when it expires. The Cabinet Secretary has denied these reports, and stated that they are baseless."

The nation wide lockdown will continue until April 14. The lockdown was announced to ensure social distancing and isolating people, so that the doctors can fight the pandemic.