Positivity rate still twice the national average
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 3
For two weeks in a row, weekly tally of COVID-19 cases in Nagaland has dropped to below 100. Only 34 cases were detected in the past week (December 26-January 1) returning a sample positivity rate of 4 percent. The tally during the preceding week was 63.
The declining numbers should however not serve as a cause for letting the guard down, said the state Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), Health & Family Welfare, in the weekly COVID roundup issued on January 2.
It stated, “Although cases are decreasing in the past few weeks, caution should be exercised in interpreting the data as testing has decreased significantly during the same period.”
Alongwith the drop in case detection, a corresponding decline in sample testing has also been noted, implying there could be more undetected cases. From 4000-plus samples a week in late November, the number of samples tested a week dropped to below 1000. The past week’s 34 cases were detected from a total of 786 samples.
Nagaland’s testing rate of 59 tests per thousand population was less than half of the country’s 129.1 tests per thousand.
The sample positivity rate on the whole (state-wide) has remained consistent at around 9-10 percent since November or almost twice that of the national average, presently tipped at 5.9 percent. The state had a cumulative testing tally of 1,20,626 samples as on December 3.
In terms of recovery, Nagaland fared better with a rate of 96.6 percent against than the country average of 96.1 percent.
Deaths & hospitalisation
Two COVID deaths were reported during the past week, while December ended with the state recording 9 COVID deaths. With 24 recorded mortalities, November has so far been the month with the most COVID deaths in a month since the first deaths were reported in July. The mortality rate was 0.58 percent against the national average of 1.45 percent. 63 percent of COVID-19 deaths have been below 60 years of age.
As many as 13 cases were admitted to COVID Hospitals the past week with moderate to severe symptoms. However, a decline in hospital admission of cases was noted in the month of December. As per the IDSP data, 152 hospital admissions were recorded in between October 24-November 27. It dropped to 78 recorded admissions in between November 28-January 1.
Nevertheless, the IDSP said, “Increase in COVID-19 hospital admissions signifies increase in moderate, severe and critical cases and undetected transmission in the community.”
While hospital admissions increased, late reporting of symptomatic cases to hospital has also added to the death toll.
“28 percent of deaths happened within 48hours of admission signifying late arrival to hospital with advanced disease,” it reiterated.
Traced contacts
The number of positive traced contacts continued to increase. 24 of the 34 cases detected in the past week were traced contacts, 2 were armed forces personnel, 7 travellers and 1 frontline worker.
The percentage of positive traced contacts was 41 percent of the state total, the armed forces- 39 percent, returnees/travelers- 15 percent and frontliners- 5 percent. As many as 1411 cases have been household contacts, 1143 cases have been office goers and 921 cases have been students.
Moreover, cases detected from flu clinics or people without travel history or contact with a known case continued to increase. “The positivity rate among symptomatics/pre-op screening/ travel purposes coming to Flu clinics continue to remain high at 14 percent (663/4861) which is worrisome,” it said.
Bed occupancy
The bed occupancy rate in COVID Hospitals across Nagaland, excluding military facilities, was tipped at 4 percent. In Dimapur, it was 17 percent, 5 percent in Peren and 4 percent in Kohima and Mokokchung. The other districts had zero occupancy rates.
Dimapur has so far recorded 780 admissions, Kohima- 331, Peren- 55, Mon- 28, Tuensang- 69, Mokokchung- 12, Zunheboto- 81, Wokha- 6, Kiphire- 7, Phek- 31.
