<span style="color: #222222;">Sikkim today extended the state wide lockdown till 6 am of 1st August due to surge in COVID19 cases. The state was already under lockdown from 21st July till tomorrow, which has now been extended. As per the latest health bulletin, Sikkim has 356 active cases of COVID19, while the total cases stand at 499 and 142 people have been discharged after recovery. The state also reported its first COVID19 death today.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">AIR correspondent reports that all lockdown guidelines issued earlier would be effective during the extended period till 1st August, 2020. Sikkim government extended the lockdown following a rapid surge in COVID19 cases and designation of several containment zones across the state.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The state also reported its first death due to the infection today morning when a 74-year-old male resident of Rongli, East Sikkim, passed away at New STNM hospital near Gangtok. The patient had comorbidities and was suffering from hypertension and diabetes.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The funeral will be performed by Gangtok Municipal Corporation as per the central government's standard operating procedure.</span><br />