Mizoram government extended the partial lockdown in the Aizawl Mnicipal Corporation (AMC) area and certain COVID-related restrictions in other parts of the state till September 4.
The extension was announced as the restrictions imposed on August 15 were scheduled to expire on Saturday.
The new guidelines issued by the government stated that places of worship have been allowed to reopen in COVID-free localities outside the AMC area but deputy commissioners and village task forces have been asked to make arrangements for the same. However, churches for worship services will continue to remain closed in the AMC area, the order said.
The order further stated that the circle or area-wise religious conferences or business meetings will be allowed in all parts of the state with a maximum of 200 participants or 50 percent of the sitting capacity of a church where the event will be held.
The business meetings should be held only in day time and people with symptoms of Covid-19 and any patient suffering from chronic and serious diseases such as diabetes and cancer will not be allowed to take part in these programmes, it said.
The new order also permitted sporting activities- indoor games with 10 participants and outdoor events with maximum of 25 attendees in the AMC area. Gymnasiums will also be allowed to reopen in the state capital with 33 per cent of the capacity.
Meanwhile, 115 more cases of Delta variant of Covid-19 have been detected in Mizoram, a health department official said.
In July, 151 samples of coronavirus patients were sent to the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics in West Bengal's Kalyani for whole-genome sequencing, the state's official spokesperson on Covid-19 Dr Pachuau Lalmalsawma said.
"Of the 151 samples, 115 came out positive for Delta strain, which implied that it has widely spread in the state, especially in Aizawl. However, all these patients have recovered from the disease," he said.
With the fresh Delta variant cases, the state has so far reported 192 such infections, the official said.
