COVID-19 spreads its tentacles to CM's Secretariat
NHM staff tests positive, tally climbs by 66
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 25 2020: The novel coronavirus has reached the Chief Minister's Secretariat infecting one National Health Mission (NHM) staff engaged with the COVID-19 Common Control Room opened at the Secretariat today.

Following the detection of the case, health authorities have started rigorous contact tracing and conducted COVID tests on the staff of the Secretariat.

Amid the rising number of cases, Thoubal district continues to worst affected with at least 36 from the district tested positive for the virus today.

The State saw 66 new cases today spiking the tally to 2,212 with as many as 692 active cases.

The State's recovery rate now stands at 68.71 per cent with 1520 persons recovered from the disease.

COVID-19 spreads its tentacles to CM's Secretariat

Meanwhile, according to sources in the Health Department, the NHM staff who tested COVID positive is a data entry operator engaged at the COVID-19 Common Control Room opened at the Durbar Hall of the CM's Secretariat.

The health authorities are on high alert and have started intense contact tracing, said the sources.

To ascertain any possible transmission of the virus among the staff, rapid antigen testing has started and above this, a medical team of Imphal East has also collected swab samples of the staff.

The COVID positive NHM staff has a history of travelling to Senapati on July 21 .

He along with one colleague had met the COVID positive doctor from Lilong Haoreibi, Thoubal district who was posted at Senapati.

After returning from Senapati, he had also attended work at the COVID-19 Common Control Room on July 22.The NHM staff was tested for COVID-19 after tracing that he had close contact with the doctor, said the sources.

The other NHM staff (his colleague), with whom he visited Senapati, has also tested positive for the virus and following the detection, rapid antigen testing of staff of Health Directorate, Lamphelpat and NHM have started at RD Wing, Lamphel, added the sources.

On the other hand, worsening the situation in Thoubal district, 36 persons also tested positive for the virus today.

Notably, at least 26 persons who had close contact with the COVID positive Pradhan from Moijing have tested positive so far.

Moreover, fear of community transmission is growing in Thoubal district as 8 of the family of the shopkeeper, who tested positive yesterday, have also tested positive for COVID-19 today.

Further, two persons who had close contact with the COVID positive Pradhan from Lilong Haoreibi have also tested positive.

Given the rising number of COVID positive cases among people who have no travel history, the State and health authorities must prepare for the worse fallouts and enforce stricter lockdown in the whole of the State.

One or two weeks of lockdown and curfew would have no meaning if there is indeed community transmission in Thoubal and other districts.

"Even though it is early to say there is community transmission in Manipur without proper data, we should be well prepared," said a health expert on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, one who owns a shop (shopkeeper) near 2nd Assam Rifles campus, Imphal East has also tested positive for COVID-19 today.

The person has no travel history, said sources.

It may be noted that an earlier report of the COVID-19 Common Control Room had shown that 30 persons have tested positive for the virus today.

The cases were detected at RIMS (24), JNIMS (1), District Hospital Thoubal (1) and Ukhrul (4).All, except three- one each from Imphal East, Imphal West and Thoubal, are returnees from outside the State, said the report.

Raising the number of recovered persons to 1520, 29 persons were discharged from CCCs opened at RIMS (1), Meitram (1), RD Wing Lamphel (1), Ukhrul (3), Churachandpur (11), Senapati (11) and Chandel (1) .