DHAKA, Bangladesh

Bangladesh has extended a nationwide lockdown till May 5 as part of measures to stem the spread of coronavirus pandemic, local media reported.

“Holidays will be extended till May 5 from April 26. The government will issue a gazette in this regard tomorrow [Thursday],” daily the Jugantor reported citing State Minister for Public Administration Ministry Farhad Hossain as saying.

The minister, however, added that May 6 is also a government holiday on account of the religious rituals of the country’s minority Buddhist community, or Buddhist Full Moon holiday.

The South Asian nation of more than 165 million population has so far reported 120 deaths from the virus as of Wednesday, with 3,772 confirmed cases and 92 recoveries.

According to the official data, a total of 32,674 people have been tested since the first coronavirus case reported in the country on March 8.