HP NEWS SERVICE
Shillong, Jul 3: Areas which have been deemed to be vulnerable to the spread of Covid-19 in Ri-Bhoi district have been placed under total curfew from tonight even as random testing will be initiated from Byrnihat up to Khanapara from tomorrow.
Announcing this today, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong said that taking into consideration the spike of Covid-19 cases, random testing will be started from tomorrow in areas from Byrnihat to Khanapara bordering Guwahati.
Tynsong said that total curfew has been clamped from Byrnihat up to Khanapara for 48 hours from 9 pm tonight till Monday morning.
“These decisions have been taken for the safety of our citizens,” Tynsong said.
He also informed that necessary instructions have been issued to the health department as well as the Deputy Commissioner of Ri-Bhoi district, Rosette M. Kurbah.
Meanwhile, Kurbah said that the curfew in the area was imposed after four more people of the district have tested positive cases for Covid-19 taking the total number of positive cases in the district to five.
“Due to the rise of Covid-19 cases where four persons were infected only from Khanapara, curfew has been imposed immediately as a precautionary measure so that other residents of that area are not infected by Covid-19,” she added.
According to the DC, the curfew has been imposed in the area from Tandu Bridge via Byrnihat to Khanapara, Pillangkata, Maikhuli, Iongkhuli and Umtyrnga which are border villages between Meghalaya and Assam.
Kurbah also informed that the Covid-19 patients are presently undergoing treatment at the Corona Care Centre in the district.
She also said that contact tracing of high risk contacts is being done by health personnel as per the health advisories and protocols even as she appealed to the residents of the border areas to cooperate with the district administration so that the efforts to stem the spread of Covid-19 prove successful.
Meanwhile, areas in Ri-Bhoi district bordering Kamrup district of Assam are still under lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19 from Guwahati area to Meghalaya. Assembly of five or more persons in public areas and premises beyond individual households has been prohibited.
Operation of public and private transport along the inter-state border with Assam, operation of markets and commercial establishments and movement of individuals has also been prohibited.
