Principal Director Dr Vizolie Z Suokhrie with Health & Family Welfare officials addressing a press conference on COVID-19 at the Directorate of Health & Family Welfare in Kohima on September 6. (DIPR Photo)
Morung Express News
Kohima | September 6
Along with the relaxation of movement during the COVID-19 related lockdown, the public also seem to have forgotten about practicing caution in Nagaland, according to the state’s health department.
Noting the complacency, Principal Director, Health and Family Welfare (H& FW), Dr Vizolie Z Suokhrie said that the public behavior is as if “the pandemic is over.”
Addressing a press conference on September 6 at the Directorate of Health & Family Welfare in Kohima, Dr Suokhrie said that with the resumption of normal functioning, people have become complacent in adopting preventive measures such as wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and washing hands.
Even in public transport like taxis, social distancing is not being maintained, he observed.
Earlier, Nagaland was a green zone, but with the arrival of returnees, a lot of positive cases were seen. The spike in cases was also noticed from among the military and paramilitary forces.
Asymptomatic cases turned positive and more cases were detected while screening for Assembly related duties, he said. Frontline workers also started to test positive and eventually, the traced contacts added to the state’s tally.
Positive cases were also observed more in those travelling by trains, vehicles and places of confinement like offices, he added.
However, Dr Suokhrie also said that increasing recovery cases was a relief. Initially, the recovery rate was low due to the spike in positive cases. Now the state’s recovery rate is crossing 80%, he shared.
But while the recovery rate is increasing, the number of positive cases is also increasing at the same time after lifting the lockdown and relaxation of more activities, he added.
Therefore, he urged the public to be more careful, take proactive measures and behave responsibly so as to break the chain of infection.
“Enforcement of SOP is very important at this point of time but it is beyond the purview of the department," he said, while soliciting responsible behavior from the public. He stressed on safe practices especially as flu sets in with the change of season, a DIPR report stated.
‘Testing at optimal level’
So far, more than 50 thousand tests have been conducted in the State which is higher than the national average. No infant or maternal mortality due to COVID-19 has been reported, he said.
State Nodal Officer of IDSP, Dr Nyanthung Kikon who was also present at the conference, said that the backlogs of samples have now been reduced and is at a point where test results can be given within 24 hours.
Deputy Director Kikameren Longkumer said that the average testing at present is about seven to eight hundred in a day.
The state has the capacity to conduct more tests but testing should be rational, he added.
More than one person being tested repeatedly, the motive should be to test more people, he reasoned.
Shortage of microbiologists and pathologists
The department said it has allowed all the private hospitals to have COVID-19 testing facilities so as to facilitate and ease the burden of government hospitals.
While some are in the process of registration and procuring necessary equipments, one of the issues being faced by the private hospitals is the shortage of microbiologists or pathologists,’ according to Longkumer.
A pathologist or a microbiologist is required for COVID-19 testing as per the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) guidelines.
However, hospitals do not have the microbiologist or pathologist though they have the capacity to buy the equipment, he added.
In this regard, the department has reportedly written to ICMR and the Centre to relax that norm.
Longkumer said that the department is yet to receive a reply from the Centre, but measures have been arranged to ramp up the existing testing system, he added.
Army and paramilitary forces are also being encouraged to have their own testing facilities.
COVID-19 Hospitals
Meanwhile, Dr Suokhrie also said that general OPD services in Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) would also be fully functional soon.
It may be mentioned that NHAK has been activated as a COVID-19 hospital.
Chedema COVID-19 hospital is still available for moderate and severe cases while Meriema COVID Care Centre (CCC) has been assigned for asymptomatic persons.
With the advantage of having multiple buildings, Dimapur District Hospital has also been divided into COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 hospital, he shared. COVID Care Centre is also available.
The under-trial prisoners (UTP) who were tested positive for COVID-19 will be taken to either COVID-19 hospital or to a CCC depending on the severity of the symptoms. However, they have to be guarded by the police, the officials said.
Regarding COVID-19 related deaths, Dr Suokhrie said that all cases had severe co-morbidities and most were brought to the hospital in ‘the last hour’.
Longkumer also clarified that not all COVID-19 deaths are necessarily from Dimapur as some cases were referred from other districts and from Assam as well.
With the BSL-2 lab functional in Tuensang, the department is also reportedly encouraging neighbouring districts of Mon, Mokokchung, Longleng etc., to send their samples to Tuensang.
