GUWAHATI, July 19: COVID restrictions in two “red” districts of Assam – Morigaon and Goalpara – have been relaxed while five other “red” districts – Golaghat, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Biswanath and Sonitpur – will continue to remain under “total containment” for another week.
Assam health and family welfare minister Keshab Mahanta, while announcing the revised/modified SOPs here on Monday, said the COVID situation has improved in Morigaon and Goalpara districts in the past ten days, following which all shops/commercial establishments would be allowed to reopen till noon (12pm) while curfew will be clamped from 1pm in the two districts.
“A decision was taken in the review meeting chaired by chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday evening to keep the five ‘red’ districts of Golaghat, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur under total containment for another week in order to control the situation further even as there has been a decline in cases in the past ten days,” Mahanta said.
Meanwhile, the curfew norm remains unchanged in the other 27 districts of the state. “Shops will remain open from 5am to 4pm while curfew shall be clamped from 5pm to 5am the next day in these 27 districts,” the health minister said.
In Kamrup Metro district, which has reported over 2000 cases in the past ten days, the situation has been more or less under control.
“The relatively higher number of cases in Kamrup Metro district is primarily because of the cases reported from airport/railway station and hospitals. Some cases have been reported from Khetri and Sonapur on the outskirts of Guwahati,” Mahanta said.
“However, three districts – Dibrugarh, Sivasagar and Nagaon – where the trends have not been up to the desired levels, will be under strict vigil,” he warned.
Inter-district transport services and movement of people shall remain suspended for another week.
“Besides, gatherings have been restricted to a maximum of ten persons in marriage/religious ceremonies and funerals,” he said.
In regard to the Eid celebration (June 21), the minister fervently appealed to the Muslim community to offer prayers (namaz) at home like last year.
“Gatherings have been restricted to a maximum of five persons (including religious head) in each mosque on the occasion,” Mahanta said.