News Desk: On the press meet today, the Health Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a complete lockdown in the Kamrup (M). The complete lockdown will come into force from Sunday mid-night. The lockdown will be imposed for 14 days.
Except for Hospitals and Pharmacies, all other shops will remain closed for the first 7 days. Grocery shops, wine shops, vegetable shops, meat shops, fruit shops will remain closed for the first 7 days of the lockdown.
Also starting from today till Sunday, a strict curfew is being imposed from 7p.m till 7a.m.
All private offices, government autonomous/ subordinate offices will remain closed. All businesses, commercial establishments, industrial establishment and shops, and other activities shall remain closed.
Educational Institutes, religious places, etc will remain closed.
All the social, political, sports, entertainment, cultural and religious functions shall remain closed.
Also during cremation, no more than 20 people will be allowed.
All non-essential and avoidable movement will be strictly prohibited.
No public transport, private vehicles will be allowed during the lockdown.
Even special vehicle pass which was given during the first lockdown has now been restricted.
But there are some exceptions given:
- Defense, Central, and State Police Force, District Magistrate, Commissioner of Police, Home Guard, Fire, Disaster Management, Electricity, Water services, Municipal offices.
- Banks will remain open but with a skeleton staff. Also, the ATM services will remain open.
- Print and electronic media, Power generation, and telecommunication.
- Hotels where quarantined people are kept.
- Directorate office and Secretariat office with a skeleton staff.
- Milk, Baby food, medicine, water supply.
This decision is taken by the government due to the rapid increase of COVID-19 cases in the Kamrup (M). According to Himanta Biswa Sarma, yesterday 276 people were tested in Assam. Most of the positive cases came from Guwahati city. Almost 49% of the positive cases of yesterday were from Guwahati city. The COVID-19 positive cases in Kamrup (M) has been increasing very rapidly.
In the past few days, a total of 10,617 samples were collected which started from June 15. Since June 15, the number of positive cases in Guwahati city was 762 out of which 677 cases did not have any travel history.
Out of the 276 positive cases of yesterday, 133 cases were from Guwahati alone. It is estimated that in the next 7 to 10 days the COVID-19 positive cases in Guwahati will increase very rapidly.
He also stated that less than 10% of Guwahatians are using a mask or maintaining social distance. This is the main cause of the rising number of positive cases in Guwahati.
Excluding GMCH, the total number of beds available for COVID-19 patients is only 890.
It is estimated that given the present situation in Guwahati all the beds will be filled up within 4 days, which is a great cause of concern.
The Health Minister also stated that he never thought that Kamrup (M) will go from ‘UNLOCK’ situation to Lockdown situation. He also stated that the first 7 days will be very strict. After the 7 days, the opening of grocery shops and other essential shops will be discussed.
There is 31 COVID test center in Guwahati.
Weekend lockdown of 2 days will also be imposed in all towns and municipality areas excluding Kamrup (M). Villages are excluded from the weekend lockdown.
Himanta Biswa Sarma also announced that a new hospital with 830 beds in Khanapara will be available for COVID-19 patients within 3days.
The government hospitals which are available for COVID-19 patients are:
- Ayurvedic College
- MMC
- GMCH
- Sonapur District Hospital
- Hindustan Paper Corporation Hospital, Jagiroad
- Singimari Model Hospital
- Kalapahar
- Kalitakuchi Model Hospital
Till now the Government of Assam has done 3 Lakhs and 50 Thousand tests.