Mizoram goes back to complete lockdown for two weeks

Detection of 42 fresh COVID-19 positive cases this month, so far, prompted Mizoram to go back to complete lockdown for two weeks from midnight of Tuesday.

Chief Minister Zoramthanga said after a consultative meeting with different stakeholders on Monday, it has been decided to go for complete lockdown again in view of the rise in fresh COVID-19 positive cases. The meeting held in Aizwal was attended by the MLAs, government officials, NGOs, village and local council members and others.

He, however, did not clarify as to why the decision was taken despite the fact that the fresh COVID-19 positive cases were detected from those who are already in institutional quarantine. Most of them tested positive after returning from Delhi and Chennai.

Zoramthanga said that it has also been decided to increase the institutional quarantine time from 14 days to 21 days and and the option of home quarantine will be limited to only in extremely unavoidable cases. The state government will issue lockdown guidelines soon.

Mizoram had declared itself a "COVID-19 free state" after two persons, who tested positive earlier were discharged following recovery. But 42 persons, who returned from rest of the country tested positive, so far, since June 1. Most of them are symptomic and health department fears that they could be silent carriers and cause community transmission. One of them, however, has recovered.

At least eight persons tested COVID-19 positive on Sunday following tests in Zoram Medical College at Aizawl.