Covid cases now moving to rural areas: Dr Rajo
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 30 2021:
Health Director Dr K Rajo has categorically stated that the Covid pandemic is shifting from urban to rural areas as per the finding of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) with 73 percent of the active Covid cases in Imphal West and 79 percent reporting in Imphal East respectively being from rural areas.
Addressing a weekly press briefing on COVID-19 at Lamphelpat today, Dr Rajo said that as high as 73 percent of the active Covid cases in Imphal West district belong to rural areas while the remaining 27 percent are from urban areas.
In the case of Imphal East, 79 percent of the active cases are from rural areas while the remaining 21 are from urban areas.
Saying that the pandemic was largely concentrated in urban areas earlier with Imphal East and Imphal East reporting the maximum Covid deaths, Dr Rajo maintained that non adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour and large gathering are the possible reasons for the surge of Covid cases in rural areas The Health Director also stated that the State is working tirelessly to defeat the pandemic by ramping up its Covid testing and vaccination drives.
Continuing that 150 CHICs and 28 CCCs are being set up with a bed capacity of 2871 and 3206 respectively, Dr Rajo added that Government is considering increasing the number of CHICs by employing community halls, schools and youth clubs among others and to open another CCC at NIT Langol.
He also said that the Government has started providing meals to inmates at CHICs, considering the inconvenience of the people in delivering food.
Informing that the ICMR has approved 3 Covid home testing kits for use by the people and sale of the same by a registered pharmacy, Dr Rajo maintained that pharmacy, however, has to submit the details of the buyers such as name, age, address and mobile to the State Drug Controller.
The users of the testing kits should also register with the mobile apps concerned before testing, he said and urged the people to obey Covid Appropriate Behaviour, go for Covid testing if he/she shows any symptoms and to get vaccinated at the earliest.
On asked about the genome sequencing of the coronavirus , State Surveillance Officer under IDSP, Dr Somorjit Ningombam said that 450 samples were sent for confirmation, of which 295 were found to be Delta variant, which was declared a variant of concern (VoC) by WHO while 6 another were classified as Wuhan strain and 1 as variant of interest (Kappa variant).
Reports of 146 samples are yet to be received, he added.
Dr Somorjit also maintained that 7 cases of black fungus were detected in the State of which 2 have died while the others are undergoing treatment.
State Mission Director of National Health Mission, Dr N Shyamjai contended that the rate of Covid vaccination since the last month or two is impressive.
The Government is reaching out to the office of DCs concerned to vaccinate the eligible population in remote places as CMOs alone couldn't do it, he apprised.
Deputy Medical Superintendent of RIMS Dr Nepram Sanjib maintained that the Covid beds at RIMS,which earlier had 224 has been upgraded to 300 and a new ICU ward, apart from the one which has 40 beds, has also been opened given the setting up of a new oxygen plant.
According to a data from RIMS , the rate of Covid deaths among those who have received the 1st dose of vaccine is 5 percent and 1 percent from among those who have been fully vaccinated (2nd dose), he said and added that majority of the people who died of COVID-19 were not vaccinated.
The press briefing was also attended by JMIMS Medical Superintendent Kh Lokeshore and Addl Director of Health Services, Dr Khoirom Sasheekumar Mangang among others.
Comment
