Nagaland Health Minister Urges CM Neiphiu Rio to Extend Total Lockdown in State

Kohima, April 13, 2020:

S Pangnyu Phom, the Health and Family Welfare Minister of Nagaland has urged the state's Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio, for continuation of the total lockdown in the state. He has also urged the CM to mark Dimapur district, where the first COVID-19 patient in the state was found, as a 'red zone'.

In his letter to the CM, Phom wrote, "In view of the outbreak of the Coronavirus (or COVID-19) and with the confirmation of the first positive case from Nagaland yesterday, it is felt that the total lockdown of the state, particularly Dimapur district is required to prevent further spread of the virus in the state with immediate effect."

ALSO READ: Coronavirus: Nagaland’s COVID-19 Positive Man being Kept in ICU of Guwahati Hospital

The Health Minister urged the CM to issue "necessary directives for implementation of the total lockdown in the interest of the public health and safety."

The request has been made in the wake of the detection of the first corona positive case in the state, a 33-year-old man who has been shifted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for exhibiting symptoms for an elongated period of time.

The man was admitted to the ICU at the hospital as a “precaution” as he has been having symptoms for several days. However, he has not required any “ICU support” and is doing well, Sarma further added.

Addressing mediapersons here earlier today, Sarma said, “At night yesterday, a case came to us. The man is not a man from Assam, he is a resident of Nagaland."

ALSO READ: Coronavirus: Assam Tea Garden Labourers to Receive 3 Triple-Layer Masks Each

Sarma also informed that on March 24, he had returned to Dimapur in Nagaland and was being tested by two doctors. Although initially he had undergone blood tests, no tests for the coronavirus were performed.

The Health Minister said that the man had come on an ambulance of the Eden Hospital. “Last night, at 8 PM a sample was collected after screening, he was declared as ‘positive’ for the virus by 9 PM.”

Since he was brought to Guwahati on an ambulance of the Eden Hospital, both the driver of the vehicle as well as Jain’s father have been quarantined, Sarma said.

Meanwhile, Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, will address the nation tomorrow at 10 am. The PM’s address will bear extra significance as it will be the last day of the 21-day lockdown that was imposed to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

In a 4-hour meeting that was held in April 11 between the PM and the CMs, Modi had said, Jaan bhi, jahaan bhi (life also, livelihood also). The Indian economy, it may be recalled, was moving at a sluggish pace. Now, the coronavirus pandemic is expected to make a further dent in the already-ailing economy and thousands are expected to lose their jobs. Speculations are rife that the administration will try to get the economy going in a “graded-manner.”

Meanwhile, there have been murmurs that a colour-coding system could be put in place to identify the corona-prone areas in the country. The areas could be marked as red, orange and green zones, depending upon the number of cases. The areas with no cases of the coronavirus will be placed under ‘green zone’, if this system is implemented.

Now, all eyes will be on the Prime Minister and his address tomorrow as the nation seeks the answers to these issues.

It is also believed that the Government could make some measures such as social distancing and usage of masks mandatory, while easing some of the other restrictions that are in place.

Support Inside Northeast (InsideNE), an independent media platform that focuses on Citizen-centric stories from Northeast India that are surprising, inspiring, cinematic and emotionally relevant.