16500 returnees arrived in Nagaland till date

APC and in charge of Dimapur for COVID-19 activities, Y Kikheto Sema, addresses media persons in Dimapur on June 30. (Morung Photo)

APC and in charge of Dimapur for COVID-19 activities, Y Kikheto Sema, addresses media persons in Dimapur on June 30. (Morung Photo)

Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 30


Around 16500 returnees have arrived in the state till date, including those who entered the state from Kohima side. As of June 30, Dimapur has 54 active Quarantine Centres (QC) - 27 institutional QCs and paid QCs each, housing around 2000 returnees.


Out of this, around 1500 are in institutional QCs while 500 are in paid QCs.


This information was revealed by APC and in-charge of Dimapur for COVID-19 activities, Y Kikheto Sema, during a press conference at Commissioner’s Guest House, Dimapur, on June 30.

 

115 shifted from Ganeshnagar; to be emptied soon
Kikheto also informed that 115 returnees at Ganeshnagar were shifted to hotels in Dimapur on June 30 following detection of 19 positive cases. It included 18 returnees from Kerala and one from Delhi. 


“Now we have only 84 occupants at Ganeshanagar and we will soon empty the centre as there are a lot of inconveniences relating to transportation and other logistics,” he said.


The 115 returnees, who were ferried by seven buses to Dimapur on Tuesday afternoon, would be kept in isolation at six hotels in Dimapur town, he added. 


As of June 30, he said 23 QCs in Dimapur have been emptied and more were expected in the next few days since almost 95% of the returnees have arrived.

 

Dimapur hosts nearly 6000 returnees
“So far we have released nearly 4000 persons and have hosted around 6000 returnees out of which 3300 were Dimapur-based and the rest were from other districts,” the Dimapur in-charge further informed. 


He also said even as some districts have reported zero positive cases on the basis of domicile, Dimapur being the receiving point, is hosting all returnees irrespective of communities.


The district has been hosting returnees belonging to Peren district for the last couple of days and from June 30 returnees from Mon would also be hosted, he added. 


“At one point of time, we had 1002 persons who had completed 14 days institutional quarantine but today the latest figure we have regarding who have completed 14 days and still in quarantine centres is only 330.” 


“This is due to the increased number of Truenat machines in Dimapur which has five; 2 each in COVID-19 Hospital and COVID-19 Care Centre, Chumoukedima, and one at Ganeshnagar and the BSL 2 at CIHSR,” he added.


 Kikheto said that the testing capacity of each machine and equipment would be increased in later days.


Consequently, the burden of Team Dimapur has been reduced by almost 50% and Dimapur is ready to host returnees belonging to other districts if they have any problems, he added. 


He also expressed delight that so far there were no reports from any returnees in Dimapur complaining of symptoms after their release from QCs.

 

Appeals for calm 
Pointing to the rising number of positive cases detected during the last several days, Kikheto urged the public not to panic harping on the huge percentage of recovery rate in the state. 


“The recovery rate of Nagaland as of today is 37.25% out of which Dimapur accounts to 71.58% which is much above the national average and those who have tested positive will be tested again after 14 days and I hope the recovery percentage will increase manifold,” he said.


Kikheto said the authorities were expecting a maximum of around 2000-2500 returnees starting in between July 1-15 which is the date of national lockdown extension.


“This is not a time to fight against each other and the disease of unforgiving is worse than Corona so I appeal all to stand united in this common fight,” he urged.