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Surging new cases, a blockade on NH; Mizoram going through worst Covid phase
The state, which has been under lockdown since April 20 to check spread of the pandemic, has over 13,000 active cases at present. The blockade by Assam residents has prevented entry of essential items, including medicine and goods for oxygen plant of ZMC in Aizawl
Mizoram, with a population of just over 1 million, has been reeling under Covid-19 with 600 to 800 new cases every day. A blockade of NH-306 on the Assam side following border clashes between the states on July 26 has only made matters worse for the state.
The state, which has been under lockdown since April 20 to check spread of the pandemic, has over 13,000 active cases at present. The blockade by Assam residents has prevented entry of essential items, including medicine and goods for oxygen plant of Zoram Medical College (ZMC) in Aizawl.
Mizoram health and family welfare minister Dr R Lalthangliana recently tweeted, “Consignment of Covid-19 test kits and life-saving medicines destined for Mizoram are being blocked in Assam...I urge the Centre to intervene.” The tweet was retweeted by Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga as well.
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According to the department of health of Mizoram, the state recorded more than 18,000 fresh cases in July this year and the first week of August is showing a rising trend. On Thursday 1,088 new cases were recorded found which included 167 children.
Mizoram has 13,065 active cases and 28,861 people have so far recovered from the infection. According to state immunisation officer Dr Lalzawmi, more than 633,000 people have been vaccinated.
The state has one RT-PCR centre in ZMC which collects sample from other districts of the state. ZMC principal Dr John Zohmingthanga said, “We are running out of medicine and other essentials due to the economic blockade in Assam. We are upgrading our oxygen plant from 300 LPM capacity to 1,000 LPM because the number is increasing and more people require oxygen. But essentials are stuck on Assam side...We have developed the infrastructure in past one year but now, we don’t have empty bed for new cases.”
This year, the hospital has 307 Covid beds, including 34 ICU beds, against 140 last year. In June this year, 48 people died and in July, 52 people died due to the virus. The infection is increasing, according to the officials of the health department.
Meanwhile, the lockdown has hit the small business the hardest. A woman vegetable vendor said, “We are selling produce such as bamboo shoots which stays fresh for a week or more. We prefer selling these because due to the lockdown, we get lesser time to sell.”
Additionally, the economic blockade has reduced the quantity of wares as well because common people are not travelling from Assam anymore. Ministers from both Assam and Mizoram attended a meeting in Aizawl on Thursday to solve the border dispute but could not reach a solution to the economic blockage.
