Covid-19 in Mizoram: 2 more returnees test positive, tally rises to 24

Guwahati: The number of cases of Covid-19 in Mizoram rose to 24 after 2 more returnees tested positive on Saturday. A single patient, a 50-year-old pastor who was the first case reported in Mizoram, has been discharged so far.

The 2 persons -- 1 male and 1 female -- had both returned from the national capital New Delhi, a hotbed of Covid-19 cases. Officials said that 302 samples were tested yesterday at the Zoram Medical College (ZMC) laboratory in Falkawn and both the new patients are from Aizawl district. "They are both under quarantine and have not shown any symptoms as of yet", an official said.

Yesterday, 5 more patients were detected in the state, which took the tally of cases upto 22. The surge in the Covid-19 cases in Mizoram can largely be attributed to the return of stranded citizens from other parts of the country after the easing of restrictions on interstate travel.

With coronavirus cases across the nation continuing to tick upwards in alarming fashion, the Mizoram has once again chosen the safety cushion of the lockdown till June 30 to mitigate the spread of the deadly pathogen. In a notification dated Sunday, June 30, the Mizoram state Government has once against issued orders to continue the lockdown, even as the Central Government has issued new guidelines to lift the restrictions in a graded manner in areas outside the containment zones.

"In view of the continued rise of positive cases in other parts of the country, particularly in the neighboring states and the mass return of stranded residents of Mizoram from containment zones of other states, it is felt necessary to further extend the lockdown period till June 30 in order to prevent the spread of the disease in Mizoram", the state government said on Sunday.

On Saturday morning, India's total number of Covid-19 cases went past Italy's count with total cases surging to 2,36,657. India is now at the sixth spot in the list of nations with the highest caseloads of the virus. The country's death count stood at 6,642.

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