Manipur CM N Biren Singh addressing the media in Imphal on Friday. Image: Northeast Now
Manipur CM N Biren Singh addressing the media in Imphal on Friday. Image: Northeast Now

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that the primary mission of the state government is to prevent community spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Addressing the media on Friday, the CM said that the state government is preparing to tackle the situation arising out of the COVID-19 and urged the people not to panic.

Minister of health L Jayantakumar Singh, state revenue minister Karam Shyam and education minister Th Radheshyam were also present at the press conference.

Appreciating the people for strictly adhering to the government advisories and guidelines, N Biren said that maintaining social distancing, staying at home, wearing face masks, use of hand sanitizers, avoiding mass gatherings etc are important measures to fight the disease.

On the available testing facilities, he said that the number of tests in the laboratories has been increased to above 200-300 per day besides increasing number of freezers to keep the blood samples.

“The state government welcomes all positive and constructive criticisms and suggestions to chalk out plans to combat COVID-19,” Singh said.

On the arrival of state residents from other states of the country, he said that all the returnees will be kept at a particular quarantine centre for further medical examination.

Stating that the government has some strategies, he said the returnees will be allowed to move in quarantine centres located at their respective constituencies after the testing for COVID 19.

“If their test results are negative then they will be kept under home quarantine,” he added

Lauding the efforts made by the frontline workers, local volunteers, in the fight against COVID-19, he assured that the government will provide due compensation to the local volunteers, truck drivers, handymen etc in case of any unfortunate incident as per the norms laid by the Centre.

Sobhapati Samom is Northeast Now Correspondent in Imphal. He can be reached at: [email protected]