More areas sealed amid spread of COVID-19

July 23, 2020 215 Views No Comment

Entire West PS personnel under COVID scanner

Staff Reporter/Correspondent
DIMAPUR/KOHIMA, JUL 22 (NPN)

After breaching the 1000-mark on July 20, 2020, COVID-19 count in Nagaland continues to rise amidst heightened apprehensions among majority of citizens who are clamouring for a ‘total Lockdown’ in the hope that it will break the transmission chain.

On Wednesday, 54 positive COVID-19 cases were confirmed of which 23 were from Dimapur, 19 from Kohima and the rest from other districts.

In Dimapur the news of four policemen under West P.S. being tested positive for COVID-19 through TrueNat machine was a big blow for the police, while the deaths of two persons hailing from Assam, in separate incidents in Dimapur only added to heighten apprehensions among public.

To make matters worse, the BSL-2 lab at CISHR Dimapur has been rendered out of service due to exhaustion of consumables needed to run the machines. All samples including positive reports from TrueNat machines will now be sent to BSL-3 at NHAK, Kohima.

2 dead in Dimapur: The deaths of two persons from Assam– one a 72-year old man with a history of co-morbidity who died of cardio-respiratory failure at Nikos hospital on July 21 and a two-month pregnant married woman, who had reportedly died of health issue at a paid quarantine facility at MP Road on July 22, sent shock waves.

Though both were tested positive for COVID-19 through TrueNat machines, confirmation through RT-PCR at BSL-3 Kohima was awaited, officials said.

West PS barricaded: However, for Dimapur police, the report of four policeman who were tested positive through TrueNat machine was a big blow. It was reported that the four, under West Police station Dimapur tested positive for COVID on Wednesday. The samples were sent to BSL-3 lab in Kohima for RT-PCR confirmatory test, health officials said.

Confirming this to Nagaland Post, Commissioner of Police R. Tetseo informed that the four have been sent to COVID-19 isolation ward. He also said all personnel under West PS, around 70 to 80 of them, will undergo testing for COVID-19. The entire West PS has been barricaded and no public will be entertained unless for emergency purposes till further order.

Testeo also said with such a huge number under West PS currently suspended from active duties, it was a big blow against containment of COVID-19. He also said if further tests confirm COVID-19, then even all their family members would have to also undergo the same test. If tests confirmed the initial reports, Testeo admitted that contact tracing would be another huge problem.

Sealing, sanitization of court: After learning about policemen testing positive for COVID, the principal district & sessions judge (PD&SJ), Y. Longkumer had written to the chief medical officer Dimapur urging the latter for sanitizing and sealing of JMFC-II court room including testing of the staff. The PD&SJ said that two of the police personnel from the West P.S., who tested positive for Covid-19, were in the district court, particularly in the courtroom of JMFC-II, above DC’s chamber from July 13 to July 15 and on July 20.

2 Rly staff test positive: Two parcel section staff of Dimapur Railway station tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. Their report on TrueNat returned positive, officials said. Both the staff were taken to the COVID Care Centre at Circuit House, Dimapur and contact tracing activated.

1 positive case in Seikhazou colony, Kohima: A handyman, from Seikhazou Colony tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.

Accordingly, the district task force sealed the locality and activated contact tracing during which it was found that eight other persons were living with infected person, all engaged in construction works.

The samples of all eight were also collected and tested, but only one tested positive so far, officials said.

Nikos Hospital sealed: In order to take effective measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the deputy commissioner & chairman DDMA Dimapur, Anoop Khinchi, has ordered the sealing of Nikos Hospital, Dimapur with immediate effect till further order.

Seikhazou areas sealed: Following detection of a COVID-19 case at Seikhazou Colony in Kohima, deputy commissioner Kohima, Gregory Thejawelie has ordered sealing of areas under Seikhazou Colony.

Source: http://www.nagalandpost.com/more-areas-sealed-amid-spread-of-covid-19/219505.html