Apprehension of community transmission grows as total crosses 2000 mark
Curfew clamped in Thoubal; 90 more test positive
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 21 2020:
With the COVID-19 positive cases rising continuously in Thoubal district, there is a growing suspicion of community transmission of the virus in the district.
Taking serious note of the situation, complete lockdown and curfew have been imposed in the entire Thoubal district with effect from today.
Authorities are now suspicious of community transmission of COVID-19 in Thoubal district as many of the people who have been tested positive have no travel history and they are mostly confined to their homes, sources informed.
Health Department has already asked the district administration to cordon off and declare the whole Thoubal district as containment zone and also to authorise health workers to mount active surveillance in each and every household.
Health Department went a step ahead by pointing out that only curfew would not be enough as people would come out after the curfew hours and this may further complicate the situation.
After some people belonging to Thoubal district have been tested positive for the contagion even though they have no history of travelling outside the State, Chief Secretary Dr J Suresh Babu today issued an order whereby lockdown has been imposed in the whole district till July 27 .
During the lockdown, there will be curfew throughout the district.
With the exception of people working in essential services sector, movement of people has been prohibited in the district, mentioned the Chief Secretary's order.
The Thoubal District Magistrate has also issued an order regarding the curfew imposed in the district with effect from today.
Altogether 21 people who have no history of travelling outside the State were tested COVID-19 positive in Thoubal district today.
After a RIMS doctor doing PG course in Physiology Department was tested positive, 19 people from Lilong area who are suspected to have got into contact with the doctor were also tested positive at RIMS today.
Sources informed that authorities have been tracing contacts of the 19 people.
Four other people were found COVID-19 positive after rapid antigen test at Thoubal district hospital today.
Two of them are couples and they are residents of Lilong who got into contact with the doctor.
The third positive case is a male who volunteered at the quarantine centre of Moijing.
The fourth one is a female resident of Wangkhem.
According to a press release issued by Additional Director (Health) and COVID-19 Common Control Room spokesman Dr Kh Sasheekumar, 90 (68 males and 22 females) were tested positive for COVID-19 during the last 24 hours in the State.
Eight of them belong to Imphal East, 12 to Imphal West, 17 to Jiribam, 25 to Kangpokpi, two to Kakching, one to Tengnoupal, and 25 to Thoubal.
All the 17 samples collected from Jiribam and tested positive belong to Assam Rifles personnel.
Meanwhile, 64 persons who had been undergoing treatment for COVID-19 have been discharged during the last 24 years following recovery.
They were discharged from CCC Meitram (16), CCC Senapati (6), CCC Tamenglong (27), CCC Thoubal (4), CCC Ukhrul (4) and JNIMS (7) .
The total number of positive COVID-19 cases in the State has surged to 2015 and this include 631 active cases and 1384 recovered cases which implies that the recovery rate as of Tuesday is 68.68 per cent.
There is as yet no report of any death due to COVID-19 in the State.
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