Indian officials warn of lockdown extension as COVID-19 cases rise

Officials in India have warned that the lockdown could be extended in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The health minister of Maharashtra said an extension will be considered if the cases continue to rise, and people refuse to obey quarantine rules.

"It could be extended in Mumbai and urban areas of Maharashtra by two weeks," Rajesh Tope told Reuters.

Three other senior officials told Reuters, on condition of anonymity, that the restrictions will be extended based on the number of cases in each district.

So far, the state has 516 confirmed cases and 26 deaths.

This comes as the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country will pull out of the three-week lockdown, that's set to end of April 14, in a phased manner. 

More than 3,000 cases and 86 deaths have been recorded in the country.