Amid surge in cases, Manipur govt announces ten-day curfew from July 18

“…there is a need to take stringent measures to break the chain of transmission”, said the notification.

The activities allowed during the total curfew are those engaged in vaccination, covid testing, medical services, water supply, air travel, agricultural activities and essential services like water supply, telecom.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said the decision was taken after a series of deliberations with several committees of the state formed to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We have been doing whatever we can in our capacity to control the pandemic ranging from installation of oxygen plants to intensifying the vaccination process. However, the situation continues to deteriorate each passing day. The number of daily positive cases is going over 1,000 and deaths above 10,” he said.

Underscoring the prevailing situation, Singh stressed on the urgent need to take stringent measures to control the spread of virus. To ensure strict compliance, Singh informed that the state will be deploying all the security forces at its disposal including Assam Rifles, CRPF in addition to state forces.

He appealed to people to extend full co-operation in the initiative. “The prevalence rate of the delta variant is extremely high. In the course of house-to-house testing we have detected a substantial number of positive cases that could prove disastrous. I earnestly appeal to people to bear with us and stay indoors during the curfew period,” Singh said.

Celebrations for the upcoming Eid festival will be relaxed from the purview of the curfew, provided strict SOP is adhered to, added Singh.

According to the state health department, as many as 205 cases of Delta variant have been confirmed in the state as on July 12. The state reported 1,039 positive cases and 14 deaths on Thursday. With this, the total number of active cases in the state stands at 8,558.