Nagaland announces full lockdown starting Friday. Details here

Kohima: Following a steady rise in COVID-19 cases across the state, the government of Nagaland announced that the state would go into total lockdown starting May 14.

After a meeting of the high powered committee on COVID-19, the Nagaland government has decided to go into full lockdown in the entire state starting 6 pm on May 14 to May 21.

While the government will issue a new set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be followed during the lockdown later on Tuesday, Mmhonlumo Kikon, spokesperson for COVID-19 taskforce said existing restrictions will continue till the lockdown is in place.

Here’s what we know of the exemptions so far:

• The government has said that essential services, including agricultural activities, will be exempted from the full lockdown.

• During the course of the lockdown, government departments will also continue to function with a core team of department heads.

• Construction activities may be permitted but the contractor and firms will be responsible for ensuring adherence to all SOPs for the workers

• During the lockdown period, the Health department will pursue aggressive testing, utilising testing capacity of the COVID-19 laboratories.

As on May 10, Nagaland had about 16,283 COVID-19 cases following the detection of 133 fresh cases on Monday. The death toll rose to 150 with the death of 10 persons.

Amid a spike in COVID-19 positive cases in Kohima and Dimapur districts, the Naga People’s Front (NPF) had said total lockdown is now the only option left to save people’s lives. 

The NPF slammed the state government for its unpreparedness and mishandling of the rising COVID-19 cases.

“This government seems to have learnt nothing from the first wave, which we all faced last year. The excuse that other developed nations and the Indian states are also finding it difficult to contain this virus should no longer be parroted by the government as a result of its own inefficiency,” the party said.

This is a developing story