Nearly 15 K children infected so far: Dr K Rajo
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 16 2021: Health Director Dr K Rajo has informed that stringent steps are being taken up by the state government including procuring more protective gears and other related items to protect the children from contracting the virus during the third wave of the pandemic, if any.

He then said that Union Government has issued number of guidelines to protect the young ones.

Addressing newspersons during the weekly briefing of Covid-19 held at the Medical Directorate in Lamphelpat on Monday, Dr K Rajo said that children in Karnataka are facing numerous difficulties due to Covid-19.As such, the safety of children is of utmost concern, for which the Centre has issued and circulated various guidelines, and training for the same has been launched.

Thus, stringent steps are being taken up by the government to protect the children during the 3rd wave, he said, while informing that procurement of above items are under process.

The recovery rate of the state is around 92.37 per cent.

The pandemic infected 2661 children under 15 years of age during the first wave while 12,322 children have tested positive for the virus during the 2nd wave.

The rate of infected children was the highest during the second wave.

During the first wave, the positivity rate was 9.05 per cent while it is 15.58 per cent in the second wave, he explained.

Remarking that the state has a genome sequencing facility of its own, the director said of the 727 sample reports sent for testing, the result of 400 have been received with 390 confirmed for the Delta variant.

Additionally, the number of testing facilities has also increased and a COVID-19 Response Plan Funding proposal has been made to open RTPCR in 8 places of the state.

The proposal by NESIDS for installing TrueNat testing in every District has been approved.

Two RTPCR machines provided by UNICEF have been received, with one each machine installed at RIMS and JNIMS, he said, while conveying that they will soon begin functioning.

Dr Rajo continued that around 3000 beds are available in the 29 CCCs set up across the state.

Anyone having difficulty in home isolation must stay at the CCCs or CHICs for 10 days, considering that the transmission rate of the delta variant in the state and its need for early treatment.

"Owing to the pandemic, 355 people died in 2020, while 1355 people have died so far in 2021.Of every 10 Covid-19 deaths, 8 are due to co-morbidities", he said.

Stressing that Covid is extremely risking for people suffering from hypertension and diabetes as well as patients with other co-morbidities, the director said that it important to maintain good health and go for physical check up every year.

Dr Rajo further urged for regular exercise, maintaining good sleep, clean hygiene and good mentalhealth, in addition to following strict Covid-19 Appropriate Behaviour even if the curfew has been relaxed.

He then said that government is monitoring the pandemic in all aspects and implementing the recommendations of the central team.

The press briefing was attended by Health Department officials, WHO and UNICEF representatives.

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