ICMR's guideline on contact tracing: Test 10 contacts
Team from Delhi lands to study situation
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 06 2021: A 3-member multi-disciplinary team deputed by the Centre to aid the State Government in managing Covid pandemic landed in Imphal, today.

This is the second time that such a team is being sent to the State to take stock of the Covid situation here by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

The team which is headed by Senior Regional Director of RoHFW, Manipur Dr L Ashananada include Director of National Centre for Disease Control, Dr Rameshwar and Consultant Microbiologist Dr Samita Singhal.

During their stay in Manipur, the team will look at areas of vaccination, testing, including genome sequencing, contact tracing, Covid appropriate behaviour and availability of hospital beds, logistics including ambulance among others.

Addressing a weekly press briefing of the Health Department at Lamphelpat today, Health Director Dr K Rajo stated that the Government as well as the department concerned is putting maximum efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus in Manipur.

Saying that results of 400 out of the 727 samples sent for coronavirus test have returned, Dr Rajo added that as many as 390 samples were found to be infected by the highly transmissible Delta variant.

He also said that the Covid infection infection rate would be 2 to 3 times higher had the lockdown and curfew not been imposed.

Continuing that the Government alone cannot defeat the pandemic, he appealed to the people to stick to Covid appropriate behaviour and to get vaccinated on time.

On testing, the Health Director said that the Government has approved three home Covid testing kits.

Altogether two stockists and three retailers applied for selling these kits, he said and added that 7 Covid positive cases have so far been detected from among 30 who tested at home.

Continuing that one mobile van with RT-PCR testing facility will also be launched shortly on PPP model, Dr Rajo continued that the charge for testing would be Rs 450.Dr Somorjit Ningombam, State Surveillance Officer under IDSP, said that 28,709 Covid positive cases were detected in the previous month and 94,992 samples tested on contact tracing.

From among those who were tested on contact tracing, results of 16,680 samples returned positive.

The State tested nearly 3.3 samples for every positive case in July which is a slight improvement from the previous ratio of 1:2, he informed.

As per ICMR guidelines, the ratio of contact tracing should be 1:10, he said and added that contact tracing of at least 5 samples for every case is advisable for the State.

Maintaining that 74 teams consisting 663 members are being engaged for contact tracing, he stated that the rate of contact tracing is slightly low due to lack of manpower and surge in infections.

The State is putting in efforts to intensify the contact tracing exercise, he added.

State Immunisation Officer, Dr Th Manihar, on the other hand, conveyed that the rate of Covid vaccination from January to May was quite low.

The rate of administering 2nd dose is also low as the Central Government elongated the gap to be maintained in between the 1st and 2nd dose from 4-6 weeks to 12-16 weeks, he informed.

Dr L Ashananda, who landed in Imphal today, said that they have not gathered any information on Covid situation in Manipur.

"We will send our report to all concerned once our work is completed," he told the media.

The press briefing was also attended by two Consultants of UNICEF and officials of the Health Department.

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