E-Paper
Manipur takes up ‘necessary steps’ against Covid-19 following centre’s advisory
As per the memorandum, all newly detected Covid 19 positive cases will be tested for whole genome sequences through the nearest INSACOG network laboratories to enable timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the state
Following the central government’s new health advisory for wearing masks in public places and getting vaccination done after the fresh outbreak of a new Covid-19 variant in other countries, the Manipur health department began making “necessary arrangements.”
No new Covid 19 positive cases were reported in the state since December 15.
“We’ve made necessary arrangements for testing newly detected Covid 19 positive cases if any,” state surveillance officer said.
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On Wednesday, Dr Kh Sasheekumar Mangang, director, directorate of health services, issued also a memorandum in this regard.
As per the memorandum, all newly detected Covid 19 positive cases will be tested for whole genome sequences through the nearest INSACOG network laboratories to enable timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the state.
The department also directed all the chief medical officers, medical superintendents and district Covid 19 testing teams to send new RAT Covid-19 positive samples to state Covid referral laboratories (RIMS/JNIMS) for further RT-PCR and for whole genome sequencing.
On Wednesday, 106 samples were tested without yielding any positive results making it the seventh day in a row to have zero new cases.
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At present, the state is once again free of the contagion after a gap of seven months on Wednesday as the two remaining active cases were discharged on completion of the mandatory quarantine period. Since the pandemic set foot in the state on March 24, 2020, the state for the first time, became free from Covid-19 cases on May 20 last year.
So far, the virus has claimed 2,149 lives in Manipur, including seven Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel and infected 1,39,922 individuals including 5,022 CAPF personnel.
Only 35 vaccine doses were administered on December 21 and it took the cumulative number of vaccinated population to 16,48,659 people in the state, out of which 13,37,961 have received both doses while 2,79,095 have taken precautionary doses.
