H&FW warns of undetected COVID-19 cases in community

December 13, 2020 48 Views No Comment

DIMAPUR, DEC 12 (NPN): State Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) department has expressed serious concern as the State’s sample positivity rate continued to remain one of the highest in the country at 10%, signifying undetected cases in the community.

H&FW in its weekly report stated that Dimapur (13.4%) and Kohima (10.6) has the highest sample positivity rate in the state, with the weekly positivity rate at 15%. The department said that the high positivity rate especially in Dimapur and Kohima could mean many undetected cases roaming unaware in the society.

With the onset of festive season, the department also urged the citizens to strictly follow all COVID-19 safety protocols, asserting that it will be vital to control the pandemic in the state during the festive season.

While cautioning that more social events and gatherings always follow later with cases from the community, the department said that organizers of social events, sports events or any gatherings should take responsibility of the danger such activities pose to the society.

Transmission from such events will manifest only days to weeks later when the infection reaches the high-risk groups in the form of severe cases or deaths, it added.

It said that household contacts and workplaces (both high risk settings) continue to be the commonest place of infection. The department also expressed concern that the positivity among symptomatic/ pre-op screening/ travel purposes coming to Flu clinics increased to 12% in the past two weeks.

COVID tally 11676

Sate COVID-19 tally rose to 11676 cases after 42 new cases were reported on Saturday– 19 in Dimapur, 10 in Kohima, 7 in Kiphire, 4 in Mokokchung and 2 in Peren.

Further, the distribution across various categories include 4635 cases from the armed forces/police, 1816 returnees, 4667 traced contacts and 558 frontline workers.

Source: http://www.nagalandpost.com/h-fw-warns-of-undetected-covid-19-cases-in-community/225997.html