Officials warn of serious health crisis in Nagaland

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Oct. 28 (EMN): Nagaland Health officials on Tuesday warned about the ‘complacent and lackadaisical attitude’ of the people, as the state witnesses a surge in Covid-19 positive cases on a daily basis, particularly in Kohima and Dimapur.

“Unless we are careful now, our state will have a serious (health) crisis,” officials warned.

Addressing a press conference at the directorate of Health and Family Welfare (DoH&FW), Principal Director Dr. Vizolie Suokhrie said that following the ‘unlocks’, ‘people started thinking that the pandemic is over and complacency started to set in. People had stopped wearing masks and do not bother about social distancing or hand washing, which leads to more positive cases’.

‘Looking back at the trend of positivity in the state, he said that till August, there was some sort of stability with positive cases among returnees and a few frontline workers and army personnel. Towards the end of September and October, it was observed that more positive cases were detected among traced contacts. ‘It has increased so much that the positivity rate has increased from 10% to 15%,’ he said.

‘Another issue is that more symptomatic cases were being reported. In October, the number of mortality cases increased. Therefore, keeping all these in mind, the Health department on its part is trying its best to address these issues,’ he added.

Suokhrie also pointed out the reasons for the increase in positivity rate in the state. The testing is towards targeted people only — people having symptoms, flu-like symptoms, and traced contacts. ‘Another thing is that people are reporting to the hospital or health units very late. They come to the hospital at the later stage, when they start having difficulty in breathing or some kind of serious complaints, which results in an increase of mortality rate,’ he said.

The principal director urged the people to get test, diagnosis and treatment early. ‘The best way to avoid fatality and morbidity is early testing. If treated on time, many complications can be avoided,’ he said.

Currently, there is neither a definitive treatment nor vaccines available for Covid-19. The best way is prevention by wearing masks, observing physical distancing, and washing hands, he iterated.

According to the doctor, people including the contacts traced are resisting and reluctant to come for testing, ‘which will add more complications if they turn out to be positive’.

He also expressed worry as flu season begins in the state with the onset of winter. ‘Flu infection along with Covid-19 infection can lead to even more serious infection. Recovery rate is very high but with flu, symptoms are increasing,’ he said, adding that festive season including weddings and festivals are around the corner.

‘If big gatherings set in, it will lead to much more serious situations. In all these gatherings and events, if people can implement given SOPs, many infections can be avoided. The most important thing is follow the protocols and keep oneself safe. Prevention is the most important thing, the biggest weapon against Covid-19,’ he said.

‘Any life is precious and one cannot impose danger to others by being complacent. Your safety is your responsibility and if you are taking responsibility you are able to save others also. Every individual will have to take the safety precautions,’ he added.

‘Young people infect the old’

State Nodal Officer of IDSP, Dr. Nyanthung Kikon said that an epidemiological transition has been observed. There is a gradual shift of positive cases from the young people to the old and vulnerable group of people, he warned.

‘Young people would go out and will have gatherings where all sorts of safety norms and SOPs are not followed at all, especially in urban settings. After coming home from such events and gatherings, they would infect the elderly people and vulnerable ones,’ he said.

‘Therefore, it is upon the young people as future generations that they take responsibility to be the main champions to prevent the transmission of Covid-19,’ he added.

Kikon also said that no country has gone through a ‘Covid-19 winter and therefore, the Covid-19 winter is upon us. We are entering a winter season that comes with flu’. He added that an increased strength of positivity rate has been observed after the unlock-4.

‘That has happened because of complacency and lackadaisical attitude of the people,’ he said.

The possible ‘super spreaders’

Mission Director of National Health Mission, Nagaland, Dr. Kevichusa Medikhru said that people who had been infected with Covid-19 and have recovered shouldn’t be careless, as they can become ‘super spreaders’ of the virus.

‘Once a person recovers from Covid-19, they tend to think that the disease is not a problem for them anymore, not knowing that they can be re-infected,’ he said, adding that those who get re-infection are mostly asymptomatic. Therefore, these people may be the ‘super spreaders’ among the community.

He advised the people to take the person next to them as possible carriers of Covid-19 virus and take all precautionary measures.

‘Health workers are tired and fatigued. They have been working since January without a break,’ he added.

Deputy Director Dr. Kikameren Longkumer shared that without a mask, the droplets can go up to eight feet and that is how transmission starts. He iterated that people should follow the three established norms—hand washing, physical distancing and wearing a mask, ‘which is low cost and relatively simple to implement—everybody can do it’, and that it is a collective social responsibility.

‘We are all tired of Covid-19; everyone aspires and desires to go back to normal life. But when we don’t take the responsibility to check the transmission and if we cannot implement these three simple things, then how can we go back to social events?’ he asked.

He added that if the people can cut down the transmission by following the simple norms, sooner or later, the normal way of life will set in.