Mizoram has registered 20 new COVID19 positive cases, including 16 Assam Rifles and 2 Border Security Force (BSF) jawans, in the last 24 hours, taking the state’s tally to 317.

According to the state information and public relations department, 18 of the new cases were confirmed at Zoram Medical College (ZMC) while 2 others were confirmed at Lunglei civil hospital on Tuesday night.

Out of the 306 samples tested on Tuesday, 18 people from Aizawl district and 2 from south Mizoram’s Lunglei district were found infected by COVID19, it said.

Apart from the Assam Rifles and BSF personnel, 1 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) jawan and a civilian also tested positive for CPOVID19, the statement said.

Of the 16 Assam Rifles personnel, 13 returned from Assam, 2 from Delhi, one is a local resident.

The infected personnel are currently posted at Zokhawsang near Aizawl where they are placed under quarantine.

While 2 BSF jawans came from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the NDRF jawan and the civilian returned from Assam, the statement said.

The newly infected patients, who are in the age group of 23-59 years, are out of danger, it said.

There are 149 active COVID19 cases in Mizoram while 168 patients have recovered.

The recovery rate in the state is 53%, according to health officials.

Of the total 317 cases, 199 are civilians, which is 62.77% of the total cases and 118 (37.22%) are personnel of paramilitary forces, the health officials said.

Among the 149 active patients, paramilitary forces accounted for 79.19% with a total number of 118 active patients and the rest 31 cases (20.80%) are civilians.

Meanwhile, two private hospitals have been sealed since Tuesday after a doctor, who works at ZMC, tested positive for COVID19 on Monday night.

Grace Nursing Home and Research Centre managing director Johny Zahmingthanga said the doctors earlier worked at their hospital.

The doctor participated in a futsal games friendly match between the employees of Grace Nursing Home and Research Centre and City Hospital at Aizawl’s Mission Vengthlang on Monday night, the managing director said.

According to Zahmingthanga, Grace Nursing Home and Research Centre was closed for outsiders and at least 12 staff members, who came in contact with the doctor, were sent to a quarantine centre.

City Hospital authority also said the hospital has been sealed since Tuesday until further order.

A total of 14 staff members of the hospital, who came in contact with the doctor, are currently placed under quarantine.

Meanwhile, Zuangtui, a locality where the doctor resides, has lifted the complete lockdown after primary contacts of the doctor have tested negative.