The Sikkim government on Saturday announced a complete lockdown in Gangtok for seven days from Monday to September 27 following a spike in Covid-19 cases, including three ministers and two MLAs testing positive.

In a notification issued in Gangtok, the state home department said the lockdown was being enforced to contain the spread of Covid within Gangtok municipal corporation limits. Barring essential services like medicine and grocery stores, all business establishments would be shut.

The lockdown was announced on a day three ministers L.N. Sharma, Karma Loday Bhutia and M.N. Sherpa, and BJP MLAs Farwanti Tamang and T.T. Bhutia, tested positive for Covid. The quintet had taken the tests on Friday as part of protocol before the start of the two-day Assembly session on Monday.

Sikkim chief minister P.S. Tamang (Golay) tested negative. Thirty-nine fresh Covid cases were reported from the state on Saturday. In all, Sikkim has reported 2,341 cases with 26 deaths.

Sikkim Police decided to carry out a statewide special drive to ensure compliance with Covid safety norms in view of rise in the number of cases. “Of late it is being observed that many have become a bit callous about following the prescribed mandatory protocols of virus prevention,” said Prawin Gurung, DIG (Range), warning violators of stern action.