Arunachal Pradesh to Extend Lockdown in 7 COVID-Hit Districts: CM Pema Khandu

A CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to extend lockdown for seven days in seven districts of the State till June 7, where containment is being imposed till May 31.

The decision was taken during the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) meeting held on Friday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, to assess the COVID-19 situation in the State and review the preparedness and response measures.

Taking to Twitter Khandu said, "Following deliberations, it was clear that Arunachal Pradesh is yet to come out of the danger zone and we must continue to take strict measures to contain the spread of the disease and save precious lives."

"In the greater public interest, we must all continue to take evidence and science-based decisions in tailoring our public health response," Khandu tweeted.

As per the decision, the lockdown has been extended in the Capital Complex Region comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas besides, in Tawang, Upper Subansiri, Lower Subansiri, Namsai, Lohit and Anjaw districts for seven more days.

The meeting also decided to identify one health facility in every assembly constituency and to upgrade with necessary types of equipment, official sources informed.

Moreover, the meeting approved the Oxygen Grid plan as part of India@75 besides, equipping district hospitals with oxygen manifold and copper pipeline system.

Steps are being taken to increase to 1000 oxygen beds by July, while six 100 LPM PSA plants functional in Ziro, Tawang, Tezu, Yingkiong, Seppa, Aalo will also be upgraded.

The meeting agreed to make functional the 500 litres per minute (LPM) Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plant at Dedicate Covid Hospital (DCH) in Chimpu, near here, besides setting up 600 LPM plants in 19 hospitals and approved liquid medical oxygen (LMO) storage units at five strategic locations to cater to state requirements.

The SDMA meeting also agreed to ramp up the capacity of oxygen beds at Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) at Naharlagun near here, and at DCH Chimpu, sources informed.

The meeting also reviewed the inoculation status in the state where more than three lakh people already vaccinated and decided to vaccinated 1.5 lakh plus people in the next 30 days. To curb the virus spread in the state, massive testing, tracking and treating would be vigorously taken up, the meeting proposed.

The meeting while taking stock of essential medicines in the State, approved for order of future requirements and further approved for undertaking IEC activities to encourage COVID appropriate behaviour among the people, the sources added.

Also Read: Mamata Banerjee extends lockdown in Bengal till June 15

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