3-Day Lockdown In Tripura From July 27 As Covid-19 Tally Surges Past 3,700; Complete Shutdown Till July 30

According to the latest report, Tripura has reported a total of 3,778 COVID-19 cases of which 2,131 people have recovered. Eleven people have died due to virus.

(File Photo/ Getty)

Agartala: The Tripura government has decided to impose a three-day statewide total lockdown from Monday in view of the spurt in coronavirus cases, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said on Saturday. The complete shutdown will begin at 5 am on July 27 and last till 5 am on July 30, he said. A formal order in this regard has been issued by Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar. The chief minister made announced the decision a televised programme. The lockdown would have 21 exemptions, including that to emergency and essential services as well as to print and electronic media. According to the latest report, Tripura has reported a total of 3,778 COVID-19 cases of which 2,131 people have recovered. Eleven people have died due to virus. In order to ensure that people strictly adhere to the curbs, the state government has decided to impose a fine on those not wearing mask and violating social distancing norms. Those not wearing masks will be fined Rs 200 for the first time and Rs 400 the next time, the government order stated, adding a penalty of Rs 1,000 will be imposed on those flouting social distancing norms. While announcing the fresh three-day lockdown, the chief minister thanked people for their cooperation during earlier shutdown and appealed to them to extend the same assistance this time again. Deb claimed that Tripura was fighting against the coronavirus pandemic in a far better manner than many other states. "Our fatality rate is only 0.29 per cent while the infection rate is far less than the national average. But, since there is no other more effective ways of fighting the coronavirus, we have to go for a brief lockdown period again," he said. Rapid antigen test will commence soon, Deb said. The chief minister said the relief package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will remain effective till November and all benefits for the below poverty level (BPL) category, Antyodaya and priority groups among the APL category of people will continue. The COVID-19 frontline workers, like the 'ASHA' workers, will be paid an additional incentive of Rs 1,000 per month along with their salary, Deb said. Due to spike in COVID-19 cases, Tripura has made all arrangements for a statewide house-to-house survey from July 27 to identify patients, he said. "Health workers, along with the ASHA and Anganwadi activists, will be involved in the week-long survey to find out COVID-19 patients. This will give a complete picture on the infection at grassroot level," state Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath said. In terms of COVID-19 fatality rate, he said, Tripura is in a better position with an average of 0.27 per cent as against 2.83 per cent nationally. Even COVID-19 positivity rate is less in the state at 2.86 per cent vis-a-vis 8.36 per cent at the national level, Nath added.