Covid-19 positivity rate decreases but Delta variant scare increases in Nagaland

Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, July 3 (EMN): The number of Covid-19 cases reported in Nagaland state last week ending July 2 was 623 cases against 662 recorded in the week preceding that, while 17 deaths were registered during the same period (against 14 in previous week), according to the data provided by the Health department.

The weekly sample positivity rate of the state has dipped to 7% from 9% in the previous week, with only Kohima and Mokokchung having more than 10% positivity rate, while Longleng reported zero cases in the past week. It was also informed that 3558 cases were reported in June compared to 7704 in May.

“43% of all positive cases reported in 2021 has been from Dimapur, followed by Kohima (30%) and Mokokchung (9%),” read the update, adding that ‘21 to 30 year age group has the maximum positive cases at 27%, indicating the role of the young people in transmission of the virus’.

The update also informed that maximum deaths were observed in the 30-44 and 60-74 age groups.

Delta variant concern

While weekly positivity rate has decreased, the Health department expressed concern over the genomic sequencing showing dominance of Delta variant in the state with 93 out of 98 samples sequenced from positive samples collected in April and May this year found to be of the strain.

The variant has transmissibility and secondary attack rate; increase in effective reproduction number compared with Alpha variant is around 55%, said the department while citing instances of all members in the same household are being tested positive unlike the past. The virus is highly transmissible in crowded and closed spaces, it said.

‘There is possible increased risk of severity of disease and hospitalisation compared with the original virus,’ it stated, adding that “Covavin and Covishield vaccines are still very effective against severe disease, hospitalisation or death by the Delta variant”.

“Viruses are expected to change and the ones with more transmissibility like the Delta variant will dominate other variants. Mutations or changes in the Virus will continue as long as there is uncontrolled transmission,” it warned, while stressing on the need to outsmart the virus by strictly observing all Covid-appropriate behaviour.

The department also emphasised on increase population immunity by speeding up vaccination.

The update went on to inform that the department would assess the situational level of districts and rate on a scale of 0 to 4, based on which districts can enforce additional public health and social measures. The main indicators for assessment are: weekly sample positivity rate, bed occupancy of oxygen supported beds, growth rate of new cases and number of active cases per ten thousand population.

It added that supplementary indicators would include: Covid vaccination coverage of eligible beneficiaries, Percentage of Random/ self-tests among total cases, Compliance of the community to Covid-appropriate behaviour.