The Mizoram Pradesh CongressCommittee (MPCC) on Sunday asked the state government to seal the Indo-Myanmar border to prevent the spread of coronavirus.Mizoram shares a 510 km international border with Myanmar.A statement issued by the media cell of the Congress said that the Indo-Myanmar border in Champhai district should be immediately sealed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.The statement alleged that many commuters and traders from China and other southeast ASEAN countries enter Mizoram through Myanmar without undergoing screening, which can be a big danger for the state in view of the coronavirus outbreak.While lauding the state government for sealing the Indo-Myanmar border in south Mizoram's Siaha district, the Congress said the main Indo-Myanmar border in Champhai and other districts should also be sealed immediately.The Congress also expressed concern about the absence of laboratory and coronavirus detecting machine in the state."We ask the state government to immediately install machine and laboratory for sample testing and early detection of suspected coronavirus patients," the statement issued by Congress media cell secretary C Lalhriatpuia said.Meanwhile, state health department officials said that the state government is making massive efforts to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus in the state.Till date no suspected case of coronavirus has been detected in the state, they said.The government has set up more than seven screening counters along the national and international borders, including Lengpui airport.So far more than 14,600 people have been screened and at least 41 people are being put under home isolation to prevent the spread of the deadly disease, officials said.The government has also set up 32 bedded isolation ward at states premier medical college- Zoram Medical College (ZMC) and 5 bedded ward in each district hospitals to treat any suspected patients.Besides, the state government has also set up laboratory sample collection centres at Aizawl Civil hospital, ZMC and Lengpui community health centre.
