The dreaded COVID-19 second wave, while infecting almost a 100 in Kangpokpi district so far, claimed the lives of a 78-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman at Shija hospital Imphal and at a temporary isolation ward at district hospital Kangpokpi respectively on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, it is speculated that the unavailability of well-equipped ICU and Isolation Wards could become another main factor for Covid fatality in the district if not addressed urgently by the authority concerned and the state government.
With one more positive case detected on Wednesday, the active case in Kangpokpi district reached 80, including a two-month-old baby.
The 78-year-old man from Ramgailong Laimanai in Kangpokpi district was admitted in a Covid Ward at Shija hospital on Tuesday morning.
At around 7 am this morning his condition deteriorated and CPR was initiated according to the latest ACLS protocols but he went into cardiac arrest and there was no return of spontaneous circulation. He was declared dead at around 8 am to become the first Covid person to have died of Covid second wave in Kangpokpi district.
Meanwhile, a 60-year-old diabetic woman from Kangpokpi Ward No IV was in critical condition on Tuesday midnight and she was immediately evacuated at Kangpokpi Christian Hospital where she was found to be infected with the dreaded COVID-19 on taking a Rapid Antigen Test.
She was also reportedly vaccinated with the first dose of Covishield a week ago.
As her condition worsened and as advised by a doctor on duty at District Hospital Kangpokpi, she was immediately taken to Covid Care Centre at Leikop.
This was when the problem began as the Covid Care Centre was to become fully functional only from Wednesday.
As per protocol, Covid patients whose SPO2 are found to be below 80 per cent have to be admitted at an Isolation Ward instead of a Covid Care Centre. But no ICU or Isolation Ward is available in the district as of now.
All contact was made by the caretakers of the patient, and they were later reportedly advised to take the patient back to the District Hospital where an emergency Isolation Ward was arranged for the patient.
She was to be shifted to Imphal as no more bed was reportedly available even in private hospitals. If the situation continued, there is no doubt that Kangpokpi could become the most affected district in terms of Covid fatality. The deceased was buried following the protocols late this afternoon.
Following the fatality and hospitalization of COVID-19 positive persons at the District Hospital, it has been announced that only emergency cases will be accepted in the hospital until further notice.
Meanwhile, in pursuance of Health department order No MED-170/25/CC-HS-HEALTH dated May 2 and as discussed in a review meeting chaired by MLA Nemcha Kipgen on May 3, one building each in Kangpokpi assembly constituency, Saikul assembly constituency and Saitu has been identified as Community Home Isolation Centre (CHIC). Each will accommodate 50 persons both male and female and DC Kangpokpi has issued an order today in this regard.
The identified CHICs are BJP Office building in Kangpokpi district headquarters for Kangpokpi assembly constituency; Thangtong Hr Sec School, Saikul for Saikul assembly constituency and Sanaton Sankrit Vidyalaya, Charhajare for Saitu assembly constituency.
The CHIC shall be run by the COVID-19 Management Committee of the respective assembly constituencies.
The centre shall provide free of cost Home Isolation facilities to asymptomatic COVID-19 cases who cannot maintain adequate home Isolation in terms of individual toilets, bedrooms, etc. at their residences.
The District Home Isolation team of the Health department shall monitor and visit the inmates from time to time while the CHICs are in addition to the Covid Care Centre at Leikop which house only mild symptomatic patients, the DC orders stated.
