The Union Health Ministry has identified East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi as two districts in Meghalaya which are reporting sharp increases in daily cases of coronavirus.
This was revealed today during an interaction between Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan with health ministers and senior officials of West Bengal and the eight states of the North East region in the presence of Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare.
Besides health ministers from all states of North East, Meghalaya was represented by Health Minister AL Hek at the interaction held through video conference.
West Bengal and the eight states of North East including Meghalaya are depicting a higher growth rate in the number of daily cases, high mortality and increasing positivity rate.
During the interaction, it was revealed that in Meghalaya, the two districts of East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi are reporting sharp increases in daily cases. It was also informed at the interaction that Meghalaya has lower coverage of Covid vaccination for healthcare workers and frontline workers than the national average including persons in the 45-plus age group category.
In Mizoram, all districts are showing a rise in new cases. Nagaland has shown a sharp increase in daily cases (15-20 per day to 300 per day) and weekly positivity rate (1 per cent to 34 percent). In Assam, Kamrup (Metropolitan) is contributing almost 45 per cent of the daily new cases.
Manipur’s recovery rate of 78 percent and case fatality rate (CFR) of more than 1 per cent was highlighted as a matter of concern. Sikkim was advised to strengthen community surveillance and ensure strict monitoring of home quarantine to address its high CFR. In Arunachal Pradesh, ICU occupancy is almost 22.5 percent while capital complex and Changlang districts are reporting maximum cases. In Tripura, there has been a steep rise in positivity from 1.3 percent in April to around 8.7 percent now. West Tripura, Unakoti, South Tripura were flagged as districts of concern.
Dr Harsh Vardhan pointed towards the new emerging trend in the country. He highlighted that now the smaller states are showing an upward trend and there is a need to be cautious about this trend.
He asked the states to focus on increasing testing in a timely manner along with upgrading the health infrastructure. The Union Health Minister said that with changes in guidelines, more and more of antigen tests can be done now, so that mortality rates can be decreased. He reiterated the need to focus on peri urban and rural areas significantly.
Union Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey reiterated that testing should be increased, particularly RT-PCR. He stressed on the need for extensive use of tele-consultation especially in the hilly states to reach to the underserved areas. He also said that the Centre is also assisting states on medicines for Black Fungus and on supply of oxygen.
Dr Sujeet K Singh, Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) presented an overview of the Covid trajectory in the states. He suggested the ramp up of RAT testing and vaccination in rural areas as the spread is now going to pockets in the North East which are difficult to reach in terms of geography.
The rise of positivity to more than 33 percent in some pockets was noted as a point of particular concern as it indicates high transmission in belts that are underserved by the country’s health network. He espoused the need to properly monitor home quarantine cases and enhanced surveillance for influenza like illness and severe acute respiratory infections cases to curb high fatality rate in certain hill states of North East.
Vikash Sheel, Additional Secretary (Health) presented on the optimal and judicious use of Covid vaccine doses. All the North East states, barring Tripura, have had a lower coverage of healthcare workers and frontline workers than the national average (90 per cent and 82 per cent respectively).
In the 45-plus age group category, Meghalaya (28 percent), Manipur (26 percent), West Bengal (25 percent), Assam (23 percent), Nagaland (22 percent) had a lower coverage than the national average (32 percent).
States were advised to ensure complete utilisation of available vaccination slots for the 45-plus age group, healthcare workers and frontline workers with awareness campaigns for conveying the importance of completing vaccination.
While asking state administrators to reduce vaccine wastage, the Health Ministry pointed out that Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya and Nagaland had clocked substantial wastage and were advised to retrain their staff to achieve minimum wastage.
It was also advised for setting up of a 2/3-member team at the state level to regularly coordinate with manufacturers for timely supplies of vaccine through ‘Other than Government of India channel’ on the lines of the team operating at the Central government level. This team would also coordinate with private hospitals.
