Tripura declares complete lockdown on Sunday after sudden spike in Covid cases

In the past three days, people with no travel history or contact with Covid positive persons have tested positive for the deadly contagion, prompting the administration to take an immediate step to break the chain of infection in the state.

The state has announced complete lockdown tomorrow, which is expected to be extended a few more days in view of the rising coronavirus cases.

According to reports, Tripura recorded highest single-day spike in Covid-19 cases last night with 93 persons testing positive, which took the total tally to 1534 while the active cases stand at 324.

Of them, 49 are air travelers, 28 have travel history while 16 persons came in touch with positive cases, the health officials said here today. 

However, the officials did not rule out the possibility of community spread and said precautionary measures are being taken to stop the spread.

They indicated that after the one-day lockdown, the state government might extend the lockdown for some more days after assessing the public response tomorrow.

Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar in a memorandum directed all district magistrates, police superintendents and sub-divisional magistrates and police officers to enforce cent percent lockdown tomorrow to manage the spike the Covid cases.

Moreover, the cabinet asked the administration to enforce total compliance of wearing face mask and physical distancing in all the public places including markets and public modes of transport.

According to the order, the lockdown will start from Sunday morning at 5 o’clock and will be in force till Monday morning.

Movement of all people and vehicles will remain suspended except the emergency service providers, and the administration warned penal action under Disaster Management Act against any violation.

Meanwhile, a large number of police officers, including ASP, SDPO, two officers in charge and investigating officers, have been quarantined after arresting a woman, who tested Covid positive yesterday during her custody in West Agartala Women police station.

Police said that on June 30 last a combined team of police had raided a house in Lankamura area west of Agartala town and nabbed a woman Sima Sarkar after recovering 215 bottles of contraband cough syrup.

She had been brought first to West Agartala police station and then shifted to the woman police station.

Sima Sarkar was interrogated and produced in court on July 1 and sent to jail custody.

After arrest, the woman's nasal and throat swabs had been collected for test and within a short time, the woman was confirmed corona positive.

As a result, five or six police personnel from both the police stations, two policewomen from court, and a few jail staff who had come in contact with her have been sent on home quarantine while their test results are awaited.