Many cases undetected and underreported
State Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) department has expressed grave concern that “there is sufficient evidence of the possibility of a third wave anytime”, stating that many cases remain “undetected and underreported”.
In its weekly bulletin, the health department pointed out that the weekly sample positivity rate (WSPR) of the State continued to increase during the last two weeks (from 2.1% to 2.9% and 3.2%).
The department said that Tuensang, which reported WSPR of 1.6% and Longleng at 0% between October 9-15, have reported a weekly positivity rate of more than 10%.
The WSPR (October 16-22) of Tuensang was at 10.5% while Longleng was at 11%. Wokha also reported a weekly positivity rate of 7.4%, it added.
There has also been a slight increase in Covid-19 positive cases as compared to the previous week. 142 new cases and four deaths were reported from the week with a weekly sample positivity rate of 3.2%.
There were also 32 new Covid-19 hospital admissions in the week with 19 admissions in Tuensang alone, the department said.
An average of 40 new COVID-19 hospital admissions and 6 COVID-19 deaths per week continue to be reported in the last 5 weeks, it said.
Over 11.70 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered across the state, with Dimapur, Kohima, Longleng and Mokokchung having the highest vaccination coverage.
Further, the health department also issued safety guidelines, highly recommended to avoid any super spreader events or a third wave:
Masks should be compulsorily worn by everyone irrespective of vaccination status in any gathering or event. Event organizers should enforce the same.
There should be maximum effort to minimize the size of any social, religious, or official gathering to enforce physical distancing.
Events should be planned outdoors to the extent possible. Adequate natural ventilation should be in place for any unavoidable indoor events/ gatherings (Open doors and windows).
Hand washing points and hand sanitizers should be placed in strategic locations.
COVID-19 vaccination of the eligible population is the way out of this pandemic and should be highly encouraged in all setting.
State logs 18 fresh cases, 1 Covid death
Nagaland on Saturday recorded 18 fresh Covid-19 positive cases while one more patient succumbed to the virus.
Of the fresh cases, seven each were reported in Dimapur and Kohima and four in Phek, taking the total caseload to 31707.
Further, one more patient succumbed to the virus in Dimapur, pushing the death toll to 679 (including 15 non-Covid deaths).