A medical operational team that deals with Covid19 in Mizoram has recommended the extension of “lockdown-like restrictions” currently imposed in all the 11 district headquarters, including Aizawl, an official said on Thursday.
The team chairman and ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) legislator Dr. ZR Thiamsanga said the meeting of the medical operation team on Thursday recommended the extension of the existing restrictions in a more stringent manner for another 7 days after May 3 as the rising local transmission has not been curtailed.
The matter will be discussed at a high-level meeting to be chaired by health minister Dr. R. Lalthangliana on Friday, he said.
The team meeting observed that the existing guidelines are grossly flouted by people as large crowds were seen every day causing traffic snarl in the state capital of Aizawl and other district headquarters, he said.
“Though the existing guidelines easing certain activities, especially economic, are quite good to break the transmission chain, they have been violated in many ways. Focus is to be given on strict enforcement of the guidelines,” said Thiamsanga, who is also the state health and family welfare board vice chairman.
He said the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for weddings, funerals and the guideline restricting stepping out of home were grossly violated.
According to Thiamsanga, the number of locally infected patients is now higher than those having travel history and is increasing almost every day.
“If this trend continues, it can be hazardous for Mizoram, which is equipped with less sophisticated medical infrastructure as compared to other states,” he said, adding that appropriate measure is required to break the present chain.
He said the efficacy or results of the present lockdown-like restrictions will likely be seen by next week.
“For a state like us, we should focus on the maxim ‘Prevention is better than cure’,” he added.
Commencing from April 20, the state government imposed lockdown-like restrictions in Aizawl and other district headquarters to break the chain of Covid19 transmission in the state.
The restrictions have been already extended one time and it is scheduled to be lifted on May 3 at 4 am.
Mizoram on Thursday reported 139 Covid19 cases, taking the state’s tally to 5,879.
Meanwhile, at least 90 people were discharged from various Covid19 Care Centres (CCCs) after they were declared “recovered” from the infection, officials said.
The number of active cases now stands at 984 while a total of 4,882 people have recovered from the virus, they said.
The Covid19 death toll in the state remains at 13.