NEW DELHI, – Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation, second time in a week, at 8 pm on Tuesday on the coronavirus outbreak. “Will address the nation at 8 pm today, 24th March 2020, on vital aspects relating to the menace of COVID-19,” Modi tweeted.

He had addressed the nation on efforts to combat the virus on March 19. In his last address on the virus outbreak, Modi had called for “resolve
and restraint” to fight the disease.

He had also announced setting up of a task force, to be headed by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, to look at measures to limit economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Modi has been interacting with various stakeholders on ways to check the spread of the virus.

On Wednesday, he will interact with people of Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency, on the pandemic. Nearly 500 coronavirus cases have been reported in India so far, according to Health Ministry data on Tuesday.

As cases of the viral infection surged, authorities have put almost the entire country under lockdown, banning gathering of people and suspending
road, rail and air traffic till March 31.