Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio’s residential complex in Kohima on Thursday has been closed for 48 hours following the detection of a few Covid19 positive cases in the complex.
“Few persons in the chief minister’s residential complex have tested positive for Covid-19. All SOPs are being implemented. The complex is being sanitized and the residential office is closed for 48 hours,” the CMO, Nagaland tweeted.
However, the normal functioning of the CMO is continuing to follow all guidelines.
According to sources, a few security personnel and support staff detailed in the chief minister’s residential complex tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.
The security personnel who tested positive are not his personal bodyguards but were on duty as per their roster system and reside in the residential complex of the chief minister.
Rio has home quarantined himself after his return from New Delhi recently and undergone two tests for Covid-19. The results of both the tests were negative, sources said. He will undergo another test, sources added.
Assembly session deferred
The sixth session of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, which was scheduled to be held on Thursday, has been deferred to August 13 because of certain unforeseen developments, commissioner and secretary, Nagaland Assembly, Dr P.J. Antony said.
Lockdown to continue till August 31
The Nagaland government has decided to continue the ongoing lockdown in the state till August 31 following the spike in Covid19 positive cases in the state.
Planning and coordination minister and government spokesperson Neiba Kronu said the high powered committee on Covid19 took the decision on Thursday.
The committee also reiterated that the respective district task force on Covid-19 has been empowered to take decisions on extension or imposition of total lockdown in the respective districts. It said schools and colleges will remain closed during the period.
Kronu said the government will issue new SOPs for the lockdown.
Nagaland reports 48 new Covid19 cases, tally reaches 1,561
Nagaland registered 48 new Covid19 positive cases on Thursday, taking the state’s tally to 1,561.
Of the new cases, 32 are from Dimapur and 16 from Kohima.
With the recent surge in the number of positive cases in the state, the health and family welfare department has once again highlighted the importance of preventive measures like wearing of mask, avoiding gatherings, maintaining social distancing and following hygienic practices.
The department asked anybody who comes in contact with any positive case to isolate himself at home and inform healthcare worker or district surveillance unit or call the state helpline 18003450019.
It asked the people who do not have symptoms not to demand for immediate testing as testing is recommended from the 5th to 10th day of coming into contact with a confirmed case so as to avoid any false negative results.