Preparatory works underway for Covid vaccination
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 11 2020: In accordance with an instruction from the Central Government, the State Government has started preparatory works for vaccination against COVID-19 .

This was stated by Principal Secretary (Health) V Vumlunmang at a weekly media briefing on COVID-19 held today at the Health Directorate, Lamphelpat.

Vumlunmang said that names of health care workers of 138 Government and 108 private health facilities are being uploaded in the COWIN portal of the Government of India.

He said that there are 126 cold chain points in the State and they are being continuously monitored at the State level and district level by using the mobile App eVTN.

In order to strengthen the team who are monitoring COVID-19 positive people under home isolation, the State Mission Director of National Health Mission has been designated as the team leader, informed the Principal Secretary (Health) .

The team has been monitoring those people under home isolation through telephone apart from distributing medicines and pulse oximeters.

For assisting those people under home isolation, a mental helpline number 104 has been opened, he said.

Thermal screening of people coming to the State started at Mao Gate and Jiribam since March this year.

However considering the current stage of the pandemic, it has been agreed that it is more important to deploy health manpower in COVID hospitals and non-COVID health care facilities.

As such, thermal screening of people at Mao and Jiribam has been discontinued, Vumlunmang said.

Experts have agreed that strict adherence to COVID appropriate behaviours like wearing face mask properly, frequent and thorough washing of hands using soap or hand sanitizer and maintaining physical distance can not only prevent infection by COVID-19 but also other communicable diseases, he said.

He then appealed to the people to view COVID appropriate behaviours as a kind of vaccine and behave accordingly.

IGP E Priyokumar who also present at the press meet informed that police have pulled up 1,01,880 people till yesterday for violating COVID SOP and an amount of Rs 1.37 crore has been collected from them as fine.

These figures include 2096 people pulled up during the last week and a fine of Rs 3.36 lakh collected from them.

Police officers and personnel have been carrying out Jan Andolan campaign at different places.

On the other hand, the unit hospital of 2nd Bn Manipur Rifles started COVID-19 test since August 17 .

So far, 2092 people have been tested at the unit hospital and 177 were found positive, said the IGP.

Health Director Dr K Rajo said that there is no shortage of medical equipment and medicines for treatment of COVID-19 patients.

There are adequate stocks of face masks, hand gloves and PPE suits for health care workers, medicines, pulse oximeters, medical oxygen and testing kits for patients and the public, Dr Rajo said.

"But we should be more careful during the winter season as many germs and viruses which cause different diseases including COVID become stronger in cold conditions", said the Health Director.

The State recorded 318 COVID-19 deaths till last Wednesday.

Out of them 228 (71.70 per cent) are males while the remaining 90 (28.30 per cent) are females, he said.

The victims included 114 from Imphal West, 71 from Imphal East, 48 from Thoubal.

29 from Churachandpur, 21 from Bishnupur and 12 from Kangpokpi.

So far, there is no report of COVID-19 death from Jiribam, Pherzawl and Senapati districts, Dr Rajo said.

115 of the COVID-19 deaths occurred at JNIMS, 96 at RIMS, SO at Shija Hospital and 23 at Raj Medicity, he added.

According to the death audit report.

190 people died between November 1 and December 9 .

While COVID-19 was responsible for the death of 150, the contagion was not responsible for the death of the remaining 40, Dr Rajo said.

Till date, around four health workers have succumbed to the disease out of around 700 tested positive, he said.

Speaking on behalf of RIMS.

Dr Thokchom Sachin Deba said that 155 beds including 17 ICU beds have been set aside for COVID-19 at RIMS.

Out of 1560 COVID-19 positive people treated at RIMS till yesterday, 1346 have been discharged.

In the meantime, 163 doctors, nurses and staff of RIMS tested positive for COVID-19 and most of them have recovered.

At present there are around 92 active cases.

Dr Sachin Deba said.

So far, 96 people have died of COVID-19 at RIMS while 22 others expired due to other health problems, he said.

JNIMS Medical Superintendent Prof Kh Lokeshore gave a brief account of the existing situation of the pandemic and urged all concerned to take patients to hospitals in time.

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