IMPHAL, June 28 - The Manipur Government has decided to extend the lockdown in the State for another 15 days from July 1 to 15.
Addressing a press conference here today, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that steps are being taken to resume inter-district passenger bus service by strictly following the SOPs and maintaining social distance.
Deputy Chairman of State Planning Board S Rajen and MLA Th Satyabrata were also present at the press conference.
Stating that other modes of public transport would also be allowed during the extended lockdown period, the Chief Minister informed that a special train ferrying 1,258 stranded people of the State from Bengaluru will arrive in the State soon. To date, 22,000 people have arrived in the State by trains.
�Five flights will be arriving here on a daily basis from tomorrow and preparatory measures for the arrivals are under way,� he said.
He further said that around 750 beds are being arranged at Senapati Trauma Centre, Imphal West Family Welfare Training Centre, Thoubal GNM School, Lamboikhongnangkhong Trade Centre, Kangpokpi BIET, Churachandpur NIELIT and Tamenglong, and the testing capacity has also been improved in the State.
Those who tested positive for COVID-19 are being treated at three COVID Care Centres at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) and UNACCO School at Meitram.
With the installation of new machines, around 2,600 samples can be tested in a day in the State and test results are provided within 24 hours, he said.
Three new testing centres were opened at the headquarters of Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul districts, apart from the laboratories at the RIMS and the JNIMS.
So far, 50,000 samples have been tested and the recovery rate has improved to 40 percent, he said.
Currently the State has 1,092 COVID-19 cases, including 660 active cases and 432 patients have recovered so far.
Informing that there is no report of any community transmission in the State, the Chief Minister said that 43,071 persons were sent to quarantine centres and 7,200 are currently undergoing institutional quarantine.
On the other hand, around Rs 18.22 crores out of Rs 24.4 crores in the Chief Minister�s COVID-19 relief fund has been utilised for purchasing rice, transporting returnees, providing financial assistance to stranded people, creating awareness, etc.
