Meghalaya Cabinet takes slew of decisions to tackle COVID

Night curfew in Shillong from 8 pm to 5 am daily

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya government, on Monday, decided to impose night curfew in Shillong Urban Agglomeration from 8 pm to 5 am everyday due to the surge in COVID-19 cases. Meanwhile, the State on Monday recorded six new fatalities and 246 fresh cases, taking the total number of deaths since the pandemic started to 185 and 1,884 active cases.

Among other things, the government has also decided that the shops should be closed by 7 pm; and office timing has been also reduced from 5 pm to 4:30 pm. Last rites should be completed on or before 2 pm; and, this rule will be applicable throughout the State. This order will be effective immediately for both COVID and non- COVID cases,'' said Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong.

Bodies of persons who die of COVID should not be taken inside the house of the deceased, and family members will not be allowed to open the coffin, he added.

''Kindly adhere to the new arrangement made by the government,'' urged the Deputy Chief Minister even as he appealed to the religious leaders and traditional heads to cooperate in this regard. Tynsong also said that at this juncture, lockdown is not an option even as he fervently appealed to the public to make sure that they do not get infected with the virus.

When asked if the hospitals in the State have enough beds to admit COVID patients, the Deputy Chief Minister said that ''at present it is still manageable''.

Tynsong also said that the State government had imposed the 10-day containment measures because they had anticipated the surge.

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