Covid-19 lockdown extended by 7 days in Mizoram

The total lockdown imposed in Aizawl and other district headquarters from May 10 has been extended for another 7 days to flatten the Covid-19 transmission curve.

The government order issued on Friday said that the existing complete lockdown, which was scheduled to be lifted on May 17 (4 am) has been extended till 4 am of May 24.

"As Covid-19 positive cases continue to surge inspite of the stringent measures taken, the competent authority has decided to continue with the total lockdown with an anticipation of flattening the curve of the disease transmission thereby preventing probable overburdening of healthcare facilities," the order said.

Read more: Covid-19 lockdown in Kerala extended till May 23

The second corona wave continues to trouble the northeastern state.

Mizoram on Friday reported 201 Covid-19 cases, pushing the state's tally to 8,377.

A total of 90 people were discharged in the state during the day. The number of active cases now stands at 2,060, while 6,294 people have recovered from the infection. At least 23 people have succumbed to the infection in Mizoram so far.

The government order said that people residing in the state capital and other district headquarters/towns shall strictly remain indoors and not venture outside without permission. All places of worship, educational institutions, public parks, picnic spots, movie theatres, gymnasiums, community halls, restaurants, shopping complexes, malls, business shops having no permission will continue to remain closed in all parts of the state.

Besides, all government offices barring few and all shops except those dealing with essential commodities, vegetables and meats will remain closed during the extended complete lockdown in Aizawl and other district headquarters, it said.

Shops dealing with essential commodities, vegetables and meats will be opened only on Tuesday and Friday, and every local level or village level task force will make arrangement for vegetable markets/stores to ensure that residents do not go outside their localities to buy vegetables, the order said.

However, economic and agriculture activities will continue to function smoothly under strict adherence to Covid-19 appropriate behavior in other areas outside Aizawl and district headquarters, it said.

Night curfew will also be continued in state capital and district headquarters/towns between 7 pm and 4 am.

Government offices and commercial banks will also be allowed to open under strict coronavirus protocols outside the jurisdiction of the state capital and other district headquarters. Hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, dispensaries, bank and non-banking financial institutions, post offices, filling stations, LPG store houses, fair price shop, animal feed store are exempted from total lockdown.

State residents or visitors should enter the state only through those entry points currently opened by the state government and they will have to undergo mandatory home isolation for 10 days if they tested negative for Covid-19 upon their arrival. Quarantine is not mandatory for people visiting the state for a short duration (lesser than 96 hours) provided they possess Covid negative certificates from ICMR recognised RT- PCR or Truenat or CBNAT labs and tested negative for Covid-19 through Rapid Antigen Test upon their arrival. The Covid-19 negative certificate should not be older than 72 hours.

According to the order, intra-state or inter-village movement is strictly prohibited except under exceptional or very essential cases.