IMPHAL, Aug 7 - The Manipur Government has extended the complete lockdown in the State till August 15 or further orders, whichever is earlier.
Newly appointed State Chief Secretary Dr Rajesh Kumar, who is also the chairperson of the executive committee of the State Disaster Management Authority, issued an order to this effect on Thursday.
�There shall be complete lockdown and the Deputy Commissioners will issue orders imposing curfew in their respective districts,� the order says.
During the lockdown, neighbourhood retail shops dealing in essential commodities like groceries, vegetables, fruits, milk, poultry, meat and fish can open from 8 am to 12 noon on all days except Sundays.
Vehicular movement for local purchases has been barred in Imphal West and Imphal East districts. Wholesale shops in Thangal Bazar and Dharamshala in Imphal will be allowed to open from 10 am to 3 pm on all days except Sundays.
The order stated that the State Cabinet in a sitting held on August 6, decided that the lockdown needs to be continued to check the spread of COVID-19.
The State has been under a complete lockdown since July 23 after detection of COVID-19 among people who have no history of travel outside the State.
The complete lockdown was last extended on July 30 till August 6.
Meanwhile, Manipur recorded two more COVID-19 deaths on Friday, taking the toll to ten, officials said.
Manipur reported its first COVID-19 death on July 29 when a 56-year-old man from Khongjom in Thoubal district died of the disease.
According to a press release issued by the Manipur Health Department, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in the State stand at 3,466, including 701 Central security personnel, while the cumulative number of discharged cases was 1,905, including 83 security personnel. The total number of active cases is 1,530, including 701 Central security personnel, it added.
