Mizoram has registered the second-highest COVID -19 infection rate in the Northeast after Assam since recently, Mizoram health minister said on Tuesday.
In his statement on Tuesday, Mizoram health minister Dr R Lalthangliana said the State now is in critical condition due to the spurt in COVID-19 cases coupled with facility crunch.
Mizoram registered a spike in COVID-19 cases since April this year, which prompted the state government to imposed stringent guidelines to curtail the rising COVID -19 transmission, he said.
While the number of COVID -19 detected in March was only 55, the state reported 1,655 cases in April and at least 663 cases were detected within 4 days in May.
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He also said that at least 4 people have succumbed to the infected in recent days, pushing the total death toll to 17.
“Mizoram now stands second in term of COVID-19 infection rate in the Northeast after Assam. We are now in critical condition and there is a danger of the situation going out of control if this trend continues,” Lalthangliana said.
According to the minister, community spread has taken a very deep ground in the state as even rural villages are no more safe now.
He urged the people to respect the lockdown guidelines, social distancing and other COVID -19 protocols.
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Starting from Monday, the government has currently imposed lockdown in Aizawl and other district headquarters to break the chain of local transmission in the state.
The lockdown will remain in force till 4 am of May 11.
Police said that the people strongly respected the lockdown as streets in Aizawl and other district headquarters wore a deserted look on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), a conglomerate of major churches in the state on Tuesday called on chief minister Zoramthanga to impose stricter guidelines akin to complete lockdown to curb the rising local transmission in the state, an official said.
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Mizoram on Wednesday logged 238 new COVID-19 cases, taking the state’s tally to 6794.
The number of active cases now stands at 1609, while 5,168 people have recovered from the virus.
The death toll in the state is 17.
13 patients currently undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of Zoram Medical College (ZMC) and 8 of them are on ventilators, officials said.