Tripura govt extends Covid curfew till July 17

After detection of 'Delta Plus' variant of coronavirus in Tripura, the state government has extended the 15-hour daily curfew in several urban areas for another week till July 17, an official said on Saturday.

The government also increased the time for such a restriction by two hours on Saturdays and Sundays, Revenue Secretary Tanushree Debbarma said.

The curfew will be in place from 2 pm to 5 am on weekdays and from noon to 5 am on Saturdays and Sundays in the jurisdiction of Agartala Municipal Corporation and 12 other urban local bodies, she said.

Debbarma stated that the administration decided to extend the curfew after the Covid situation in the state was reviewed.

"The curfew will be enforced strictly in several areas from noon to 5 am on Saturdays and Sundays and from 2 pm to 5 am on weekdays," the official said.

The Covid curfew will remain in place in Agartala, Ranirbazar, Jirania Nagar, Udaipur, Kailashahar, Dharmanagar, Khowai, Belonia, Kumarghat, Teliamura, Sonamura Nagar, Amarpur Nagar and Sabroom Nagar till July 17, she said.

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The Covid curfew in these urban areas was first imposed on May 16 and then extended several times.

Many cases of 'Delta Plus' and 'Delta' variants of Covid-19 have been detected in the northeastern state, a health department official said.

"Altogether, 151 samples were sent for genome sequencing in a laboratory at Kolkata. The report was shocking as more than 90 per cent of them were found positive for the 'Delta Plus' variant. New coronavirus strains were detected not only in West Tripura but also in other districts," Dr Tapan Majumder, head of the microbiology department of Agartala Government Medical College, said.

State Surveillance Officer for Covid-19 Dr Deep Kumar Debbarma said the 'Delta Plus' strain was detected in 138 samples, 'Delta' in 10 and UK variant in three.

"The 'Delta Plus' strain can spread rapidly. The situation may turn complicated if the Covid appropriate behaviour is not enforced strictly," Majumder said.