Nagaland COVID-19: Slight surge in detection, one super spreader event

January 17, 2021 35 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 16

Nagaland reported 75 COVID-19 cases during the week (January 9-15), while the total confirmed cases crossed the 12,000 mark), the state Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), Health & Family Welfare informed in its weekly COVID roundup issued on January 16.

The state also reported 5 deaths during the week, taking the death toll to 88 (10 not COVID-related). The state mortality rate increased to 0.65 percent but it was well below the national 1.4 percent.

After reporting below 50 cases for the past two consecutive weeks, the slight surge in detection during the week was likely the result of a “super spreader event.” The report did not specify when and where it occurred, only stating, “The recent spread in a convent following the festive season is worrisome.”

It added, “As per WHO Situation reports, an upward trend of cases and an 11% increase in deaths was observed in the past week as post festivities spike start in many countries and regions. All regions apart from South East Asia showed an increase in new cases.”

The weekly sample positivity rate jumped from 3 percent to 7 percent for the week. The number of samples tested during the week was pegged at 1,122.

The positivity rate on the whole was high at 9.8 percent against the country average of 5.6 percent. Meanwhile, there was slight improvement in testing and recovery rates. The testing rate improved to 60.1 tests per thousand population from the previous week’s 59.5. It was however less than half of the country rate of 137.9 tests per thousand.

The recovery rate for the state was 97.2 percent, while the national average was 96.3 percent.

58 days from 11k-12k cases
A major trend observed was a widening of the time gap between the 11,000th to the 12,000th case. From 57 days for the first 1000 cases, it widened to 58 days for the last 1,000 cases. It took on average 20 days for every 1,000 cases in Nagaland.