Nagaland reports lowest weekly COVID-19 score

February 21, 2021 55 Views No Comment

High positivity implies no room for complacency

Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 20

Nagaland reported a total of 15 COVID-19 cases during the week, which happened to be the lowest weekly score so far. 14 of the cases were categorized as ‘traced contact/self test,’ while one was a security force personnel.

As per the weekly COVID roundup issued by the state Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), Health & Family Welfare on February 20, the cases were detected out of 1176 samples.

The positivity rate for the week was less than 2 percent, whereas the overall positivity remained high at 9.4 percent. For comparison, the country’s positivity rate was almost half that of the state’s rate at 5.2 percent.

Meanwhile, testing was slow with the state conducting on average 62.5 tests per thousand population against the country’s 152 tests per thousand. Recovery-wise, it was head to head with the state’s recovery rate at 97.8 percent and the country’s at 97.3 percent.

The state reported 3 deaths during the week taking the death toll to 91 (10 not COVID related). As per the IDSP, these were the first deaths reported in over a month. Hypertension and diabetes are the most commonly associated co-morbidities among the deaths.

The most affected age groups have been 40-49 and 30-39 years with the IDSP stating that 58% of the victims were below 60 years. The mortality rate stood at 0.6 percent against the country’s 1.4 percent.

Even as case detection has remained relatively low over the past two months, the threat of community spread remained as 41 percent of the total case load has been traced contacts. Among the traced contacts, the most affected age group is 21-30 years at 26 percent followed by 31-40 years at 25percent. Among these, 60 percent have been males.

The IDSP said, “The uncontrolled spread among the age group of 21-40 years is increasing risk in the higher age groups.”

Positivity rate among household contacts was 29 percent followed by government employees at 24 percent and students at 19 percent.

Moreover, cases detected from flu clinics for screening/tests, or people without travel history or contact with a known case, made a steady climb. As per the IDSP, “The positivity rate among symptomatic/pre-op screening/Self-test/travel purposes coming to Flu clinics continues to remain high at 16 percent.” it was 14 percent in January.

Vaccine: No need to worry
As on February 19, the IDSP informed that 23,977 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered. The total is inclusive of 3419 health care workers, who have already received the second dose.

The last date for vaccination of health care workers is February 20, followed by “mop up” rounds till February 25. For frontline workers, the last date is March 1 followed by mop up sessions till March 6.

The IDSP further clarified doubt surrounding vaccination against COVID-19, stating, “No adverse events needing medical intervention has been reported from any district across the state.”

While stating that vaccines are for saving lives, it asserted, “Vaccines work by training and preparing the body’s natural defences— the immune system to recognize and fight off the viruses and bacteria they target. COVID-19 vaccine uses the same mechanism and is our safest route back to our normal lives.”

“The first dose primes your immune system. The second dose is the one that really gives a boost to the immune system so that the antibody response as well as T cell mediated response is maximised. They also develop a memory response, which then lasts for a long time.”

It informed that currently 7 vaccines are in use across world, while more than 200 vaccines are in development. Quoting the World Health Organisation, it said, “On an average, only 7 vaccines out of 100 candidates from the laboratory will be considered good to move into clinical trials.”

Source: https://morungexpress.com/nagaland-reports-lowest-weekly-covid-19-score