The Lunglei Battalion 23 Sector Assam Rifles (East) on Thursday distributed essential items including anti-Covid items to inmates of the Baptist Church Orphanage Home at Lunglei in Mizoram.

The Assam Rifles team gesture comes amid surging cases of Covid-19 in Mizoram.

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Several orphanages and old-age homes in the state were badly affected in the Covid-19 induced lockdown last year, with most running out of funds and essential commodities for their inmates.

A total of 7 persons have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, though no deaths have been reported.

The total number of positive cases is 4722, of which 233 are active cases.

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The disease has claimed 12 lives in the state so far.

Also read: Covid19: Mizoram shuts schools for students up to Class 8; night curfew extended in all district headquarters

Altogether 28 children and 16 staff members of the Baptist Church Orphanage Home were present on the occasion.

The Assam Rifles personnel also educated the children and staff of the orphanage on the protocols they need to strictly follow to shield themselves from being infected by the mutant strains of Covid-19, which are considered to be 70 per cent more infectious.

The children of the orphanage also sang songs to welcome the Assam Rifles personnel on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the Mizoram government has shut down schools up to class VIII in view of the surge in infections.

The government has also imposed night curfew in all district headquarters across the state.