Our Reporter/Correspondent
Dimapur/Kohima, June 2 (EMN): Six more returnees from Chennai tested positive for Covid-19 at the bio-safety level-3 virology laboratory in Kohima on Tuesday, taking the total number of active cases in Nagaland to 49.
‘Five male and one female have tested Covid-19 psotive. All cases are from Dimapur,’ the minister for Health and Family Welfare, S Pangnyu Phom tweeted.
Nagaland recorded its first three Covid-19 positive cases on May 25. The fourth case was reported on May 26. Five more cases were recorded on May 27, taking the number of positive cases to nine.
The cases doubled as the state recorded a total of nine fresh cases, the second-highest single-day increase of positive cases so far, taking the tally to 18 Covid-19 positive cases in Nagaland on May 28.
Seven more returnees from Chennai were tested positive for the Covid-19 on May 29, taking the count to 25 on Friday.
The highest single-day spike of positive cases was recorded on Saturday as 11 returnees from Chennai tested positive for the virus on May 30. Seven more tested positive for the virus on May 31.
As of June 2, Dimapur has 31 active Covid-19 cases, followed by 13 cases from Kohima and five from Tuensang.
33 patients are asymptomatic
All the 49 Covid-19 patients in Nagaland are receiving medical care at the designated Covid-19 hospitals and active surveillance is going on to prevent further spreading of the infection, according to Minister for Planning and Co-ordination, Land Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs, Neiba Kronu.
Addressing a press conference in Kohima on Tuesday, Kronu informed that 33 out of the 49 patients were asymptomatic; 16 cases are mild ‘and so far there are no moderate or high cases’.
Till date, 3157 samples have been tested and results for 1368 are awaited, he said.
All Chennai returnees’ samples collected
Principal Director for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Vizolie Soukhrie, informed that samples of all the Chennai returnees have been collected.
Talking about contact tracing, he said that the advantage is that they have quarantined all the returnees, so whenever any positive cases arise, it becomes easier to track those who came in close contact. He shared that they have segregated them into ‘high contact, low contact and moderate contact’.
“Most of our patients are 20-30 years group without other disease condition,” he said.
Soukhrie stated that vitamins are fed to the patients daily to boost their immune system but there is no specific treatment. He informed that they are being treated based on their symptoms.
“As hydroxychloroquine is controversial and not very satisfactory, the best thing is to build their morale and give them psychological support,” he said, adding that some of the patients have expressed that they do not need any medicine ‘as they are feeling fine’.
Soukhrie further informed that since the Covid-19 hospital at Chedema is almost filed, they have activated Naga Hospital where there are more facilities with more beds.
“As and when required, we are also looking at several other options; if overwhelming situation comes, we have plans in place,” he replied when asked about their plans once NHAK is filled.
Kronu also informed that Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the chairman of high power committee, held a video conference with all the deputy commissioners, SPs, CMOs through video conferencing on Tuesday.
They discussed various issues faced by the district officials with regard to combating Covid-19.
Kronu informed that there are 239 total quarantine facilities and 13,008 beds across the state; and 3966 persons currently under quarantine.
Till date, 2695 returnees have arrived by train and 221 persons by bus. “One train from Rajasthan carrying 17 stranded persons will be reaching Guwahati tomorrow in the morning and they will be ferried by bus to Dimapur,” he informed. He also updated that 3932 stranded persons have received the one-time assistance of INR 10000 in Phase 1 (May 14 to May 22), amounting to INR 3,81,90,000.
He also informed that the chief minister as well as chief secretary has expressed regret for the mismanagement and miscommunication that resulted in sending of Tuensang returnees before their results were confirmed.
Mmhonlumo Kikon, Advisor of IIT, Science and technology, NRE, also commended the ‘efficient, effective and hard work that our officers, doctors and policemen and other frontline workers are putting day in and out to ensure that our citizens of Nagaland are safe’.
He said that one of the major challenges in quarantine centres is the incoming number of returnees and managing the day-to-day life. He added that the district administration of Mokokchung has installed CCTV cameras to help them manage.
