Assam govt announces total lockdown in districts with high COVID-19 positivity rate

Due to the high coronavirus positivity rate in Golaghat and Lakhimpur, the Assam government has announced a total lockdown in these two districts. As per a notification issued by Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASIDMA), curfew will be implemented throughout the day in these areas and all workplaces, business establishments, restaurants, hotels, resorts, eateries, takeaway services from eateries, sale counters, showrooms and warehouses will be closed in these districts. There was no information regarding the end of these restrictions. 

As the positivity rate was moderate in five districts- Goalpara Morigaon, Jorhat, Sonitpur and Biswanath, the curfew timings in these districts will be from 2 pm to 5 am. The other districts that are doing well are Dhubri, Kamrup, South Salmara, Majuli, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Udalguri, West Karbi Anglong, Dima, Hasao, Charaideo, Hailakandi, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Nalbari, Baksa, Bajali, Kamrup, Darang, Nagaon, Hojai, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Cachar, Karimgam and Karbi Anglong. In these districts, the curfew will be imposed from 5 pm to 5 am.

Strict measures to control the spread of COVID-19

The official notice said, "All workplaces, business/commercial establishments, dine-in restaurants, hotels, resorts, dhabas and other eateries. the takeaway of food items from restaurants, dhabas and other eateries, the opening of sale counters, showrooms, etc. of cold storage and warehouses will be up to 1 PM in districts showing moderate positivity rate and up to 4 pm in districts showing improvement in positivity rate." It also said that all the essential item stores like groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, animal fodder remain open till 5 pm in districts with high and moderate positivity rates and till 4 pm in districts that are improving.

The notice further said that there will be a complete ban on the movement of all public and private transport in the total containment districts. There is no restriction in the movement of goods shall. All modes of public transport services will remain suspended along with the ban of movement of people between two districts with curfews being imposed. In complete containment districts, any form of public gathering is banned. While in districts with lesser restrictions, not more than 10 people will be allowed for a marriage or a funeral. On Tuesday, Assam reported 1,436 new cases with 1,312 recoveries and 18 deaths. There are 13,688 active cases in the state.

(With ANI inputs)