Nagaland: One suspected case tests negative

The ultrastructural morphology exhibited by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China, is seen in an illustration released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. January 29, 2020. (Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAM/CDC/Handout via REUTERS File)

Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 23

The Department of Health and Family Welfare on Monday informed that one sample was sent for testing on March 23 and tested negative.

 
Minster for Health and Family Welfare S Pangyu Phom also tweeted “One suspected sample was send for testing and the result came out negative. There's no COVID19 positive case in Nagaland as of now. Public are advised not to circulate any news without proper authentication. Any development news will be informed to the general public by the dept.”

In a press release issued on Monday, the Department also sought to clarify on a press release issued by a group called Indian Human Rights Council (IHRC) through its Chairman S Richard Humtsoe. Claiming “laxity” on the part of state functionaries in dealing with the pandemic, the IHRC highlighted the lack of a testing centre in the state and also claimed that suspected Covid-19 cases sent from Referral Hospital, Zion Hospital and Eden Hospital were “lost or not tested.”

Private hospitals referred suspected cases
In this regard, the administration at Zion Hospital and Research Centre, Eden Medical Centre and the Christian Institute of Health Sciences & Research (Referral Hospital) confirmed to The Morung Express that they had referred suspected cases to the District Hospital Dimapur.

Dimapur Chief Medical Officer Dr T Panjung Sangtam responded that the patients as well as several others were screened as per standard operating protocol of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India as well as the state Department and treated accordingly. 

Principal Director, Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Dr Vizolie Z Suokhrie also stated in the press release that the referred cases “do not fit into the given criteria for collection of sample for testing.” He said that the District Surveillance Unit of Dimapur is in touch with the referred patients and “the patients are doing fine.”

Informed and measured actions taken
With regard to isolation wards, the Principal Director informed that wards in public health care facilities and other centres have been identified and can be expanded as the situation demands. Quarantine facilities have also been identified and are expandable, he added. 

“At present, twelve dedicated ventilators are in place for COVID-19, in addition to the ICU ventilators available in the state,” the release stated.

The Principal Director also informed that protective gears have been procured and distributed. Stating that orders have been placed for additional procurement, he pointed out that “shortage of all materials and equipment are abound all over the country and even globally.”

In addition, the Department said that it has been carrying out surveillance activity which includes monitoring, observation, contact tracking, contact tracing of both Naga and non-Naga residents of Nagaland. This includes those who have entered the state from affected countries since January 18 as well as those who have entered the state through rail and road entry points.

As such, it acknowledged that the “pandemic COVID-19 is beyond the health system involving the full machinery of the government at hand,” and appealed public not to spread rumours/panic but cooperate with the government.