Govt lifts lockdown in Shillong, directs health dept to speed up random testing

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 29, 2020

The state government has announced its decision to lift the total lockdown in the Shillong agglomeration from Wednesday midnight even as it directed the health department to complete the random testing in the 71 clusters across the state at the earliest.

The three-day total lockdown and curfew which begin from Sunday midnight, was imposed in Shillong to trace contacts of the COVID-19 cases in order to prevent community spread of the disease.

“The government has decided not to extend the lockdown after taking into consideration all inputs from the health department as well as the district administration,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters after a daily review meeting held on Wednesday.

Tynsong also appealed to all citizens not to be complacent just because the lockdown is lifted in Shillong agglomeration.

“I request all citizens of Shillong to be vigilant and takecare of themselves by adhering in totality the protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the government,” he said.

Meanwhile, the deputy chief minister informed that the government will continue to aggressively conduct the random testing in the entire state to prevent community spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“We have also directed the health department and the respective district administrations to speed up the random antigen test in all the 71 clusters identified as vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19 in the state,” he said.

On the other hand, Director of Health Services (MI) Dr Aman War said that the lockdown has been very effective in helping the health workers to trace contacts of positive cases.

“A total of 1118 contacts of positive cases have been traced from the various containment areas,” he said while informing that containment order will be withdrawn in areas where the contact tracing has been completed. According to him, Mawpun area has been completed and it is no longer a containment area.

Asked, Dr War said most of the contacts, which have been traced so far, have been tested negative for COVID-19.