Authorities in the southern Indian city of Chennai are to reimpose a lockdown on Friday after a surge in new coronavirus cases.

The Tamil Nadu state government said the lockdown would also apply to several neighbouring districts and would last until the end of June.
"Full lockdown from 19th for Chennai, Thiruvallur, Chengalpet and Kanchipuram districts," the government tweeted on Monday.

Indian broadcaster NDTV said coronavirus infections had been raging in Chennai's urban slums. On Sunday the city recorded 1,415 new cases, bringing the total to 31,896.

Chennai, formerly Madras, has a population of about 15 million.
India has been easing lockdown restrictions in recent weeks despite an increasing number of infections. It currently has more than 332,000 confirmed cases - the fourth highest number in the world - and just under 10,000 deaths.