Disturbing TPR in some districts : Study containment claim
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: September 06, 2021 -

This is the reason why The Sangai Express had for long been stressing on the importance of letting the people know the number of tests conducted in each of the 16 districts in the State rather than just be satisfied with giving the absolute number of new positive cases in the daily statements issued by the COVID-19 Common Control Room.

Only the authority concerned or the people concerned can explain why this plain but extremely important point was complied with only from September 1, 2021 but better late than never and now one can get a better idea of the spread of the virus across the districts.

The number of tests conducted also gives one an idea of how religiously is the mantra 'Trace, Test, Treat' being followed by the authority concerned.

Absolute figures can be misleading in the sense that a district reporting just 27 new cases may appear low but juxtapose this figure against the actual number of people tested for the virus and one gets a better picture.

And so it was that Ukhrul district was prominently mentioned in the lead story carrying the double decker headline with the first line screaming, 'TPR in Ukhrul rises to staggering 26.5 pc' in the September 4, 2021 report of The Sangai Express.

In another word out of 102 samples tested Ukhrul returned positive figure of 27, which made the daily positivity rate a whopping 26.5 percent.

This is probably the highest daily positivity rate reported from any district and this is something which should be noted.

The number of daily infections has gone down, no doubt about it, but it is the daily positivity rate that is disturbing.

It is also a matter of concern that Ukhrul has seen the daily positive cases in double digit for the last few days and the Health Department surely need to wake up to the reality and see if there are any loopholes that may be plugged.

How effectively is the line 'contact tracing' being taken up, not only in Ukhrul but all over the State?

This is a question which only the State Government can answer and this is certainly not the time to look the other way and act like as if everything is fine.

One also wonders what has happened to the line, 'Residences of persons found positive will be checked to see if they are suited for home isolation'.

How sincerely is this line being followed? Moreover how about containment steps, which the COVID-19 Common Control Room so religiously mentions in their daily media handouts?

Answers to the posers raised will be highly appreciated for these questions have not been just raised on some fancy and whim.

The attention of the State Government is seriously being sought here. This is not the time to take thing so casually.

This is a global pandemic and the Government cannot afford to take things so casually.

Other than Ukhrul, there are other districts of concern too, such as Kakching and Bishnupur which returned daily positivity rate above the 10 percent mark as on September 4.

The daily count has seen a welcome decline in the last few days, but let not this lull anyone, particularly the Government agencies into a false sense of complacency for remember the virus is still out there and talk of a third wave is still doing the round and before one knows it, the third wave may just descend on the people.

For starters let the Government show it means business by taking another long hard look at how its trumpeted line that houses will be inspected to see if they are suited for home isolation or not is being followed or not.

It is also time for the Government to study if containment procedures are taken up sincerely or not.