With present strategy, Covid cases bound to increase: Health experts
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 29 2020:
Since the first press release 50 days back warning that Manipur is in early stage of community transmission and if effective measures are not taken as suggested, COVID cases are bound to increase, a press release issued and signed by 8 public health specialist doctors/retired programme officers has stated it is now confirmed by field findings that out of 2535 active cases (September 9-28) ie 95.6% with all districts, is through community transmission.
The press statement is released by a team of health experts namely; Dr Th Suresh Singh, Dr Sh Shurchandra Sharma, Dr L Shantikumar Singh, Dr S Sukumar Singh, Dr Ibochou Singh, Dr Ak Khamba, Dr H Priyokumar Singh and Dr AS Felix Khating.
According to the release, the present loopholes leading to more and more spread are as; not declaring quarantine zones when needed and not enforcing the same properly, contact tracing is not done properly, many contradictory reports about positive/negative cases are published in newspapers leading to confusion, home quarantine and treatment for the poor is still continued in spite of objection.
Further spread can only be prevented by the measures taken in quarantine zones (QZ) and quarantine centres (QC) .
With strong concerns, the team has requested the Government to declare community transmission and implement the measures suggested by the team of health experts.
Weekly testing of Covid warriors ie medical, police, media & QZs/QCs volunatry workers (Governmentt may allow free testing for these categories), Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) Prophylaxis in dose prescribed by ICMR guidelines be taken by all frontline health workers, police personnel and volunteers, strict enforcement of mask use, 6 feet physical distancing, frequent hand washing etc, information sharing and community participation, etc are some of the suggested measures.