Low testing rate coming in the way of surveillance
Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 10
For the sixth consecutive week, COVID-19 recoveries have outnumbered fresh case detection in Nagaland. The tally for the week (July 3-9) was 405 cases against 690 recoveries.
Kohima, Dimapur and Mokokchung recorded 100-plus recoveries, followed by Tuensang- 86, Peren- 53, and Zunheboto- 31. These 6 districts returned more recoveries than cases.
Mon, Phek, Kiphire and Longleng returned 8, 18, 10 and 1 recoveries, respectively, but reported higher number of fresh cases. In Wokha, it was 19 recoveries with as many fresh cases.
The cases confirmed during the week included 196 self/random tests, 143 traced contacts, 39 frontline workers, 16 travellers and 11 security forces personnel.
Fatalities: The death toll for the week was 9, the lowest reported in a week since April-end. The case fatality rate remained at 1.9 %, higher than the country’s 1.3 %.
In 2021, 33 % or 139 out of 421 deaths occurred within 1 day of admission to hospitals, signifying very late arrival to hospitals, the IDSP added. In addition, 30 deaths were reported from home isolation during the second wave.
Positivity and low testing: The weekly sample positivity rate further dropped to 5.7%. However, three districts were still in the ‘red zone.’
As per the state Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme’s weekly COVID roundup, released on July 10, Kohima, Mokokchung and Wokha returned 10-plus positivity rate. The positivity rate in Longleng and Dimapur was at 8 and 6 %, respectively, while it was below 5 % in the other districts.
Meanwhile, the IDSP finally went on record admitting to Nagaland having one of the lowest testing rates in the country.
The low testing was attributed to “reluctance in naming contacts by a positive case and symptomatic people not coming forward for testing,” while adding, “Stigma around COVID-19 has been detrimental to the whole process.”
The testing rate in Nagaland was at 109 tests per thousand population against the national average of 321 tests per thousand, as per covid19india.org.
While stating that anyone with fever, cold, cough, etc., should be treated as COVID-19 positive unless tested and proven otherwise, it added unless people come forward to test, the virus will continue to circulate in the community, which would further imply more lockdowns and emergence of new variants.
“Knowing your COVID-19 status is extremely critical to monitor your health and symptoms as ‘TIMING’ of medical interventions are the difference between life and death in COVID-19 management. Even in children, more serious complications like MIS-C can be diagnosed and managed more effectively if COVID-19 status of the child is known,’’ it said.
It informed that 243 children below 5 years were tested positive in 2021 compared to 171 in 2020. However, no deaths below 5 years have been reported till now in the state.
2,519 or 10 % of the total cases reported in the state have been classified as symptomatic till date, while 90 % did not have any symptoms.
Vaccine: 69,957 doses of vaccine were administered in Nagaland during the week. The total administered, as on July 9, was 5,96,947 doses. The total was inclusive of 69,957 doses of the second shot.
While vaccine hesitancy remains strong, studies continue to debunk claims to the contrary.
The IDSP said, “A study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research shows that two doses of COVID-19 vaccines were effective in preventing COVID-19 deaths by 95% and a single dose by 82% among police personnel in Tamil Nadu during the second wave.”
The IDSP further informed that the WHO has approved the use of two dugs— Tocilizumab and Sarilumab for treating critically ill COVID-19 patients. Citing the WHO, it said that the drugs reduce the odds of mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients by 28 %.
“However, access and affordability of these drugs remain a challenge in most countries,” it added.
