Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced on Friday that the Covid-19 lockdown in the state will be extended by another week until 6 am on June 7. The CM added that there shall be no relaxations on the current lockdown and that the existing restrictions will continue to be in place.

Additionally, every rice ration cardholder will be provided with a kit containing 13 provision supplies by the Cooperation and Consumer Protection Department through ration shops for June. The kit will reportedly be provided free of cost. "The provision stores are also allowed to receive order either online or over phone and deliver supplies at the customer's residence between 7 am and 6 pm. The sale of vegetables and fruits through mobile shops, now being allowed in all districts, will continue," CM Stalin mentioned in his statement.

"The decision to extend the lockdown beyond the morning of May 31 was taken to save lives, and was based on a district-wise review of the situation he had undertaken," he added. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu recorded 33,361 fresh cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, bringing the state tally to 19,78,621, while 474 people succumb to the illness on Thursday.