Gangtok, July 14 (PTI): Sikkim on Tuesday reported its highest single-day spike of 45 new COVID-19 cases which pushed the tally in the state to 198, a health official said.
There are 112 active cases in the state at present, while 86 patients have recovered and have been discharged from hospitals, Director General-cum-Secretary, Health, Pema T Bhutia said.
Of the new cases, six were detected through the rapid-antigen method, which the state government is using to test people at the Rangpo border checkpost, he said.
During the day, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang presided over an emergency meeting to review the COVID-19 situation, particularly in Rongli sub-division of East Sikkim.
Taking note of the spike in cases, the state government has decided to ban inter-district and intra-district movement of vehicles in Sikkim for at least 15 days, Chief Secretary S C Gupta said in an order.
"We have decided to sensitise people about COVID-19 protocols and urge them to strictly adhere to it," the chief minister said, adding that social distancing and minimising traffic movement was the only solution at the moment to contain the spread of the virus.
Strict instructions have been given to officers and law enforcement agencies to be vigilant and take action against anyone flouting the norms, he said.
The situation will be reviewed again in the next three days, Tamang said.
"Our government is very serious about the current COVID-19 situation and will not leave any stone unturned to keep Sikkim and our people safe. We will not shy away from taking stringent actions against those not following rules," he said during the meeting.
Tamang said that the state government has also decided to test all persons entering Sikkim henceforth.
He directed officials to strictly assess and monitor quarantine facilities of the Army, the paramilitary forces and the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF).
The chief minister directed that quarantine facilities in Rongli and Pakyong sub-divisions be immediately upgraded , and consider home quarantine option to manage the increasing number of cases from this region.
He also ordered total lockdown in these two sub- divisions from 6 am on Wednesday.
A number cases have been detected in the GREF camp, located in Rongli sub-division.
