Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 27
On a day when Nagaland recorded five more COVID-19 cases, taking the State’s tally to 9, the State Government scrambled to make amends as it was learnt that one of the positive cases was sent to Tuensang along with 167 others before the result of his test was received.
Of the five positive results on May 27, who were all Chennai returnees, 4 were from Dimapur while one of the positive cases quarantined in Kohima was sent to his home district in Tuensang by bus on May 26, along with the others from the district.
As the government came under severe public criticism for this faux pas, it scrambled to take a series of decisions, chief among which was to establish a BSL-2 laboratory in Tuensang district headquarter.
Planning and Coordination Minister, Neiba Kronu said that the State Government through the Medical Department will undertake necessary procedures for technical clearance for establishment of the laboratory from the Government of India and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
The State Government has also taken the decision to set up TrueNat testing facility in all the districts of the State.
Officials informed that the returnees sent to Tuensang had completed 3 days of institutional quarantine and were sent to their home district as the quarantine center in Kohima was being “overloaded and understaffed.”
Not only Tuensang, but other returnees were also to be sent to their home districts after 3 days in order to ease the work load and capacity of the quarantine centres in the state capital, according to reports.
However, with the positive case emerging from Tuensang, the decision came under severe public criticism and the district administration swung into action in efforts to contain the spread.
Speaking to The Morung Express, the CMO Tuensang said that all the patients in the Tuensang District Hospital have been shifted. There were around 9 patients in the hospital as on May 27.
Two hospitals have been earmarked to attend to other patients, and they have been shifted to those hospitals, the CMO informed.
The patient who tested positive is now being treated at the Tuensang District Hospital, which is also the COVID-19 Hospital.
The patient was in Sao Chang quarantine centre after reaching Tuensang. Since he travelled by train and bus and came into contact with unknown number of people before reaching Tuensang, contact tracing is going to be difficult, the CMO added.
The Planning and Coordination Minister meanwhile informed that all the positive persons in the State are undergoing treatment at the designated COVID-19 Hospitals and their condition is stable. He assured that active surveillance and contact tracing is being carried out so as to prevent further spreading of the infection.
Till date, a total of 1506 samples have been tested. Results of 1187 samples have been received out of which 9 are positive. Results of 319 samples are awaited. Meanwhile 48 samples have been tested through TrueNat testing machine, of which 47 have come negative, while the result for 1 sample is awaited.
