Declare health emergency: PTFC-19
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 28 2020: The Peoples' Task Force for COVID-19 (PTFC-19) has urged the State Government to discuss on declaring a health emergency and ramp up combat measures in the wake of the rapidly surging COVID-19 cases and mortality rate in the State.

PTFC-19 in a press release, expressed serious concern over the growing number of deaths in recent days.

As per the statement of IDSP of Health Directorate, the State recorded 8 deaths and detected a total of 222 COVID-19 positive cases out of the total 2521 samples tested, PTFC-19 said while adding that a total 88 deaths have been reported in the State in the last 27 days and a total of 6012 positive cases.

With the death of 88 individuals due to the virus, the average daily death rate has climbed to 3.56 percent and the rate of positive cases against samples tested have reached 9.81 percent, it said.

As the situation is getting gloomier each passing day and as there is a high possibility of a more severe transmission scenario in the coming days, the State Government should act decisively and declare a health emergency in the State, it appealed.

The State Government should review the SOPs issued earlier and ramp up COVID fighting measures, it said.

In view of the rapid rise in the number of positive cases and death, a meeting of the State Level Technical Committee and Cabinet should be convened at the earliest to devise measures to control the situation, PTFC-19 suggested.

Above this, an especial expert team must be constituted to study and investigate the rising number of death and a proper and accurate report should be prepared, it said while urging the State Govt to review the progress of its effort to further augment the health care capacity and delivery system.

The State Government should not sit idle even though the cases of death are mostly due to co-morbid health conditions of the victims, said PTFC-19 while stressing on the need to take a fresh look at the treatment facilities rendered to these patients with varying number of medical conditions.

Recently on November 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a video conference with Chief Ministers, had advised the States to strengthen their measures to curb COVID-19 spread.

The Prime Minister had also advised the CMs to review COVID-19 situation weekly, bring down the mortality rate to 1 percent or below and try to keep fresh infection rate at 5 percent or below.

However, the mortality rate in the State is above 1 percent.

The infection rate is at an average of 9.81 percent, said the PTFC-19 asserting that there has not been aggressive contact tracing in the containment areas.

People in containment areas are moving freely without any restrictions and the results of the recent targeted testing at the Assembly segments where by-elections were held have shown that the virus is spreading rapidly.

As many as 40 of a locality were found positive for COVID-19 in the targeted testing, said PTFC-19 adding there should be aggressive tracing and testing in place to contain the disease.

In addition, the Health Department authorities and healthcare staff should regularly visit and monitor the condition of patients in home isolation, it added.

The PTFC-19 also appealed to people not to hide and get themselves tested in case they have COVID-19 symptoms.

It urged people to follow the SOPs, maintain physical distance and practice hand hygiene.

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