States »EasPosted at: Apr 3 2021 8:06PM Night curfew extended in Meghalaya as COVID-19 cases rise
Shillong, Apr 3 (UNI) Night curfew was further extended in Meghalaya with the sudden surge of COVID-19 positive cases in State.
On Friday, 15 new cases were detected across Meghalaya taking the total active cases to 64.
District Magistrate of East Khasi Hills, Isawanda Laloo on Saturday extended the existing night curfew timing in the district from April 3 to April 11 between 12 a.m to 5 a.m each day as a precaution against the pandemic.
East Khasi Hills district, that includes State capital Shillong is the most COVID-19 affected district with 34 active cases, followed by West Garo Hills with 23 active cases as per the latest count.
Meghalaya has so far registered 14, 082 confirmed cases of COVID-19, which includes 150 deaths due to the viral disease with 1.07 per cent case fatality rate.
Meanwhile, the night curfew order will not apply to medical teams and officials on COVID-19 duty, police, security and armed forces and other personnel on emergency and other services.
Movement of vehicles carrying essential goods, security forces, medical equipment and shops for repair of trucks on highways are also exempted. However, drivers and attendants of the vehicles shall be subject to medical screening as per laid down protocols.
The order further stated that these service personnel shall strictly comply with all protocols and procedures including social distancing, without fail.
Meanwhile, the State health department has notified that negative RT-PCR reports are mandatory for persons entering Meghalaya from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Madhva Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh and Gujarat and RAT negative report will not be valid for persons coming from these States.
“The COVID negative report will be valid only if they were tested within 72 hours of their arrival at the entry point. For those persons who do not have a COVID negative report, sample for RT-PCR testing shall be taken at the entry point on payment basis. Such persons shall proceed to their residence or place of stay and shall be quarantined until the test results are declared,” Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare Department, Sampath Kumar said.
“For those coming from other States, would also have to provide COVID-19 negative report or else get themselves tested at the entry point on payment basis either through Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) or RT-PCR,” Kumar stated in the notification.
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