Mizoram lifts curbs on Myanmar border as cholera cases contained

Aizawl: The Siaha district administration in South Mizoram has decided to lift its order sealing the Myanmar border from Monday, after the cholera outbreak in southern Chin state reported since late Dec was contained, district additional deputy commissioner Abraham Beirazi Khithie said on Sunday.Khithie told TOI over phone from Siaha that all six persons infected with cholera have recovered and no new cases have been reported from the affected villages. The border was sealed on Dec 23 and the order was to remain in force until Jan 4. “There is now no need to continue sealing the border as there are no longer cholera cases in the district,” he said.At least three people died due to cholera infection in Nov, while six were infected during Dec, though no fatalities were reported last month.Meanwhile, in adjoining Lawngtlai district, the sealing of the Myanmar border will continue as a precautionary measure until Jan 10, despite improvement in the outbreak situation, district DC Donny Lalruatsanga said.Lalruatsanga had initially ordered the sealing of the border for two months from Dec 23, but later decided to lift the order by next Saturday due to improvement in the situation.At least 10 people have died in Lawngtlai district since Nov — six in Nov and four more in late Dec — prompting the administration to seal the international border.The Mizoram-Myanmar border at Lawngtlai and Siaha sections was sealed following cholera cases in southern Chin state, particularly Paletwa township, from where traders and drivers had contracted the infection and spread it in their respective areas.