COVID-19 fatality and positive cases without travel history continue to surge at an alarming rate in Manipur though the health department is reluctant to update the transmission status of Coronavirus in the state.
The state COVID-19 tally climbed to six on Saturday with another patient succumbing to the illness at a private CMC Hospital, Koirengei.
The victim, a 77 year old man who hailed from Chandel district, was suffering from hypertension, Type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said the Manipur health department. The report of COVID-19 inflicted fatality remained consistent since the first death reported last Wednesday.
The health department also said that another 80 personnel of the central paramilitary forces tested positive in the last 24 hours. The development comes a day after the report of 80 security personnel tested positive for COVID-19. In addition, another 55 civilians were also tested positive, the department added. With this, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in the state climbed to 2756 cases of which 1051 active cases and 1699 recovered cases.
Of the new cases, Imphal East reported 31 cases, Imphal West nine, Bishnupur four and Thoubal three. While Kakching and Tengnoupal reported two cases each. Kangpokpi, Tamenglong and Ukhrul reported one case each.
With the continued surged in positive cases particularly without significant travel history and consistent report of death, hectic preparation is underway to set up 1000 bedded Covid Care Center (CCC) at the Trade and Expo Centre, Imphal West district.
Chief Minister N. Biren along with deputy chief minister Y. Joykumar and Health minister L Jayantakumar oversaw the preparations going on for opening of a new COVID Care Centre at Manipur Trade and Expo Centre, Lamboikhongnangkhong in Imphal West District today.
The Centre, which will initially had 300 beds, is almost ready for inauguration, and the chief minister expressed satisfaction on seeing the work progress. However, he instructed the concerned officials to upgrade it to a 1000-bedded Centre as it has enough space for extension. Initially, the centre will have four blocks.
The CM also enquired the officials about electrification and power connections as well. Later, the chief minister directed the officials to keep the centre ready for admission of COVID patients by tomorrow. As such, it is likely that the Centre would start functioning within a couple of days.
High ranking officials of the state government including Dr. Rajesh Kumar, who has been given the charge of the chief secretary, also accompanied the chief minister during the inspection.
Dr Khoirom Sashekumar, spokesperson last Wednesday announced that Manipur has passed the stage of local transmission and is entering the initial stage of community transmission. The spokespersons, however, said the use of the term ‘community transmission’ should be put on hold until an expert team declares it.
Meanwhile, the Pureiromba Youth Club (PYC), Pureiromba Leikai, Palace Compound, Imphal East, stated that the sixth victim, Bd Khelthung Anal who died from COVID-19 on Saturday, is a permanent resident of Pureiromba Leikai and he was admitted to CMC, Koirengei Hospital directly from the said locality.
Although the deceased person’s address is mentioned as Thorcham village, Chakpikarong, Chandel district in his aadhaar card, he has been residing at Pureiromba Leikai, Nongpok Ingkhol, Imphal East as a permanent resident for the past 10 years, said a release issued by general secretary, Waikhom Priyokumar Singh.
Alerting that there could be some suspected cases of COVID-19 in the neighbourhood of the deceased at Pureiromba Leikai, PYC has appealed to the authority concerned to take immediate action to stop further spread of the virus at the locality,
