Our Correspondent
Kohima, March 16 (EMN): The department of Health and Family Welfare
informed that 2889 individuals have been screened for coronavirus (Covid-19) at
Dimapur airport till March 16. While there is no confirmed case in Nagaland so
far, 228 are under surveillance.
This was informed at a press conference conducted by the department led by its Principal Director Dr. Vizolie Z Suokhrie in Kohima on Monday.
Suokhrie said that the department was able to keep a track of 3281 persons as on March 16 (till 6 pm). Seventy-three foreigners have come to Nagaland since March 6 till date. However, only three of them were in the state as of March 16.
He confirmed that no test samples have been sent from Nagaland so far as there was no suspected case. If at all samples are collected, it can be tested at Imphal, Guwahati, and Dibrugarh laboratories. The test results can be known within six hours. For any eventuality, the department has transport facility ready, Suokhrie informed.
All over the country, testing is done only in government facilities duly identified and certified by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, government of India. Private hospitals/laboratories are not mandated to conduct testing for Covid-19, he said.
"Sample collection, transportation and testing will be done through the state Health department. Additionally, the identified testing centres will reject any samples from any other source except the state Health department," he said.
He further dismissed viral messages in social media platforms regarding positive cases in the state, saying it’s fake news.
He emphasised on the importance of maintaining personal hygiene such as washing hands frequently, to stop spitting in public places, and avoid coughing and sneezing in front of others.
Activated surveillance
in all districts
As far as surveillance system is concerned, it has been activated in all the
districts and everyone is working very hard, the principal director said.
Informing about the next immediate step to be taken, he said the department would be conducting training with the police department. "We will be training them and wherever concerned areas are there, the department will screen at every entry point. In Tizit, this initiative is completed. Hopefully, it will be able to activate in all those concerned points by tomorrow and day after," he added.
He further stated that department wants to be “very aggressive” in tackling the issue. As for reaching out to rural areas, the department has collaborated with Rural Development department in order to reach out to the remote parts of the state.
The principal director informed that 66 isolation beds (mainly for symptomatic case) have been kept ready in Nagaland. However, the department is ready to expand as and when situation arises, he added.
Ventilators in all the district hospitals are available and will be increased, he said and added that department is expecting arrival of consignment anytime. Training for medical staff, including fourth grade personnel, have been conducted and will continue, he said.
In accordance with the Ministry’s guideline, which requires isolation beds to be placed in the outskirts, the department has identified two places—Khuzama TB hospital (30 beds and can increase), and Chedema Ayush hospital, that can accommodate more than 40 people, he informed.
Apart from isolation wards, other places have also been identified such as Army Cantonment at Rangapahar in Dimapur, and State Institute of Health and Family Welfare’s hostel (can easily accommodate 40).
In other districts, places have been kept ready to accommodate except Wokha, which is yet to identify a place. Further, the director informed that it has appealed to all private hospitals to keep isolation beds ready.