Arunachal reports 41 new COVID-19 cases, several areas declared containment zones

Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday reported 41 new cases of COVID-19, taking the state's tally to 650, a senior health official said. Most of the new cases were detected in the Capital Complex with 18 people testing positive, followed by 10 in Lower Siang, six in Papum Pare, three in Lower Dibang Valley and two cases each in West Kameng and Lower Subansiri districts, he said. The cases in Lower Siang and Lower Dibang Valley districts were detected at quarantine centres, State Surveillance Officer, L Jampa, said.

One case each in West Kameng and Lower Subansiri districts were also detected at quarantine centres, he said. All the new patients, except one, are asymptomatic and have been admitted to COVID Care Centres, he added.

The Capital Complex has recorded most of the cases in the state at 216 cases, followed by Changlang (37), Namsai (27), East Siang (21), Lower Subansiri and Lower Siang with 14 cases each.

Ninety-nine patients were discharged from hospitals on Saturday after recovery, Jampa said. They were advised two-week strict home quarantine and self-monitoring, he added.

The Capital Complex administration and the Papum Pare district authorities have declared several areas and buildings as containment zones in the wake of the sudden surge in cases.

Papum Pare's Deputy Commissioner Pige Ligu declared Chiptua village in Doimukh sub-division as containment zone after six cases were detected there.

Villagers would not be allowed to go out of the area and no unauthorised persons will be allowed to enter without prior approval of authorities, said an order issued on Saturday.

Capital Complex Deputy Commissioner, Komkar Dulom, declared seven buildings in Naharlagun and one in Itanagar as containment zones for a period of 28 days.

The buildings shall be barricaded and cordoned off and the movement of people for supply of essential items and other emergency services shall be regulated by the police and security guard to be deployed by the Capital SP, the order said.

Arunachal Pradesh at present has 373 active cases, while 274 people have recovered from the disease and three died.

A total of 38,042 samples have been tested in the state so far, he said.

The state witnessed a surge in COVID-19 cases since July 1 with 459 cases reported in the last 19 days.

The Northeastern state remained virus-free till May 23. It witnessed a spurt in COVID-19 cases after residents of the state started returning from other parts of the country.