Mizoram CM Zoramthanga for extension of lockdown beyond May 31

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga on Wednesday said his government is contemplating to extend the coronavirus-induced lockdown beyond May 31 in view of the influx of migrants from outside the state. The fourth-phase of the nationwide lockdown, imposed to break the chain of coronavirus spread, will end on May 31.

So far, the indication of prolonging the shutdown has come from Himachal Pradesh. The Himachal Pradesh government has authorized all district magistrates to extend the coronavirus lockdown beyond the current phase ending May 31 and three DMs have issued orders indicating that the curfew will continue in their areas for another month.

Speaking to PTI, the Mizoram chief minister said the extension of the lockdown is crucial in view of the present situation as thousands of people are returning to the state from different parts of the country. However, officials and medical experts will consider the matter to take a final decision, he added.

Mizoram is currently witnessing a peak in return of stranded people from outside and we believe that it is not strategically safe to abruptly lift the lockdown and set people free at such juncture. I think we will have to extend the lockdown for more days, Zoramthanga said. On the existing lockdown rules, which according to experts can pose a big threat to public safety, he said his government will either amend the guidelines or make it more rigid as suggested by officials if the lockdown is further extended.

Mizoram as of now is a COVID-19 free state after its lone patient, who tested positive on March 24, recovered and discharged from Zoram Medical College (ZMC) near Aizawl on May 9. Officials of the health department said all the eight COVID-19 patients in Mumbai's Mizoram house and three others in Kolkata Mizoram house have also fully recovered.

They said 18 samples were tested at ZMC on Wednesday and the results were awaited. The results of 79 samples, which were tested on Tuesday, have come out as negative, the officials added.

State health minister R Laltangliana urged the officials of the health department and medical experts to be vigilant as new cases of coronavirus could be detected anytime with the arrival of thousands of stranded people from outside the state. He also called for concerted efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

Officials of the state home department said more than 3,000 people have so far returned to the state form different parts of the country. They said over 10,000 people are yet to return.

The government has allowed the returnees clearing the Rapid Antibody Test (RAT) and permitted or recommended by competent authorities to be placed under home quarantine as the government facilities might not be sufficient to accommodate all the returnees. While the government require quarantine facilities to accommodate at least 20,000 inmates, there are over 500 facilities, including 168 church halls, with a capacity of only 14,358 people, officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)