Mizoram medical operation team for lockdown extension

A medical operation team of Mizoram, which was formed to tackle the rapid spread of novel coronavirus, has proposed extension of the lockdown for another 14 days to contain the deadly virus in the state, a leader of the team said on Saturday. The team was constituted by the state government on March 24 comprising medical experts of both government and private hospitals for better coordination to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.

Ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) legislator Z.R. Thiamsanga, who headed the team, said the recent meeting of the team had come up with the idea to extend the period of lockdown for another 14 days beyond the nationwide lockdown.

“We have proposed extension of additional 14 days after completion of the ongoing lockdown. The operation team will hold a meeting again on Monday to take a final decision,” Thiamsanga said. He added that the committee would suggest and put up the matter to the state government for approval and implementation. According to Thiamsanga, the idea was conceived in view of the surge in the coronavirus case in the country and the neighbouring states.

He said that the nature of the virus was yet to be discovered and its actual incubation period was yet to be known as some new study claimed 21 or 28 days against the previous 14 days. Thiamsanga said the state government had also flagged shortcomings due to lack of medical facilities, which necessitated expedited measures to prevent further spread of the deadly virus.

“It is not the right time to be complacent. We believe that prevention is the best way for a small state like ours to control the deadly virus,” Thiamsanga said. Mizoram has not reported any new case of coronavirus since March 25 when a 50-year-old pastor, who returned from Amsterdam, tested positive for the virus. According to Thiamsanga, at least 58 samples have been tested of which 49 have tested negative for coronavirus.

Results of eight samples were awaited, he said. According to officials of health department, more than 62,000 people have been screened for the virus and over 200 being quarantined at government-designated quarantine facilities. More than 2,400 people were isolated at home on the advice of the state government, they said.