Aizawl, June 21 (PTI): Mizoram's COVID-19 situation worsened on Monday as the state reported 662 new cases, its highest single-day spike, an official said.
Of the new cases, 528 were detected in a mass screening at an orphanage and de-addiction centre, he said.
The single-day positivity rate was 35.26 per cent as the fresh cases were detected after testing only 1,877 samples, said ZR Thiamsanga, the chairperson of the Mizoram medical operational team.
The private orphanage and de-addiction centre, Thutak Nupuitu Team (TNT), is located at Zuangtui''s Muanna Veng in the northern fringe of Aizawl, he said.
The detection of the massive number of COVID-19 cases at the facility sent shockwaves across the state.
Five of the inmates were recently diagnosed with COVID-19, prompting the state government to conduct mass screening at the centre on Sunday, Thiamsanga said.
"During an interaction with the management of the centre and contact tracing on Sunday, we were of the belief that the virus has infected a large number of inmates, prompting us to conduct the mass screening," he told PTI.
About 1,500 inmates -- both children and adults, live at the facility that is run by Dr Sangthankima, Thiamsanga said.
The rehabilitation centre has survived for about 30 years on public contribution, help from NGOs and occasional assistance from the government.
Thiamsanga said 989 samples were tested during the mass screening at the centre and 53.38 per cent turned out to be COVID-positive.
About 150 patients have mild symptoms and the rest are asymptomatic, he said.
Aizawl district administration declared Muanna Veng as a containment zone and converted some compartments of the facility into Community COVID-19 Care Centre (CCCC).
The state government also deputed some officials and local leaders to monitor the facility under the supervision of the medical operational team on COVID-19.
In all, 657 of the new Covid-19 cases were detected through Rapid Antigen Tests, while five were detected through TrueNat tests.
There are 4,132 active cases in the state at present.
So far, 13,390 people have recovered from the infection.
The COVID-19 death toll in the state climbed to 83 as two more persons succumbed in the last 24 hours.
According to state immunisation officer Dr Lalzawmi, 3,70,107 people have been administered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine till Saturday. Of them, 53,517 people have received both doses. PTI CORR SOM SOM
