Four days into the three-week nationwide lockdown - announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday to contain the COVID-19 outbreak - thousands of migrant labourers are walking long distances back to their native towns, villages after all transport was stopped, except for essential services. This afternoon, Union Home Ministry wrote to the state governments, telling them to ensure "temporary accommodation, food, clothing, medical care for homeless people and migrant labourers, stranded due to the curbs.

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has arranged 1,000 buses for migrant workers. "The state government has arranged 1,000 buses for those trying to leave the state amid lockdown so that they can reach their destinations without facing any difficulty," a tweet by Chief Minister's office read.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted an appeal, urging people to obey the lockdown. "UP and Delhi - both governments have arranged buses. But I appeal to all of you to stay where you are. In our Delhi, arrangements have been made for food and accommodation. Please stay at your home. Don't go back to your (native village). Or else, the purpose of lockdown will be defeated," he wrote.

Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday announced several measures to mitigate the negative impact of coronavirus on the economy. About Rs 3.74 lakh crore liquidity on aggregate basis will be infused into the financial system to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Financial markets are under stress and require steps by the central bank for market stability and revival of economic growth, the RBI chief said. The central bank also permitted commercial banks and other financial lenders to allow borrowers to delay their loan repayments by a period of three months

The RBI chief's announcement came a day after Finance Minister Nirmala Sithraman declared a Rs 1.75-lakh-crore scheme - dubbed as the "Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan scheme" - to help the economically weaker sections survive the loss of jobs and income that would be the inevitable fallout of the coronavirus outbreak. "No one will go hungry," she assured, adding that "the poor and the needy will get 5 kg extra wheat or rice free for the next three months". This is over and above what they already receive under the National Food Security Act.

The ban on domestic flight operations across India has been extended till April 14 from March 31 as the country steps up efforts to fight COVID-19, the aviation regulator DGCA said on Friday. International flights in and out of India were already stopped till April 15.

With domestic flights grounded, SpiceJet has offered services of its aircraft and crew members to the government for any humanitarian mission during the 21-day lockdown and the airline is ready to operate some flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Patna to alleviate the suffering of migrant workers, especially those from Bihar, its CMD Ajay Singh said on Friday

Worldwide, over half a million have contracted infection according to WHO; more than 20,000 deaths have been reported. Among those infected are UK royal Prince Charles - heir to Queen Elizabeth - and British PM Boris Johnson. On Friday, PM Modi wished his UK counterpart a speedy recovery. "Dear PM @BorisJohnson You're a fighter and you will overcome this challenge as well. Prayers for your good health and best wishes in ensuring a healthy UK," PM Modi tweeted.

The United States - which is now the epicentre- has more than 100,000 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, according to a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University. The biggest cluster by far is in New York, home to almost half the cases, overwhelming the hospital system.