Mylliem MDC Ronnie V Lyngdoh fears that there could be many more Covid-positive patients in the constituency than has been officially recognised if everyone in the area is tested.
Yesterday, Mylliem MLA Hamletson Dohling informed that the Assembly constituency has had 443 coronavirus cases of which 206 are active cases, 225 have recovered and 12 have died.
Today Lyngdoh told this reporter, “I believe that the figure could be more if all get themselves tested.”
While it is sensible to have contained the whole of Nongkseh because of a spurt of cases in the village, the MDC said that the government should also think about the fate of below poverty line (BPL) families who will not be able to support themselves under a lockdown or containment.
He urged the government to prioritise the most vulnerable families under containment. In Mylliem Madan Iing Syiem alone there are 15 families undergoing quarantine.
“As the MDC I have provided them with very basic items, like rice and eggs worth Rs 30,000 that will support them for a maximum of 10 days because we cannot do much at the MDC level. If the government does not come up with something very concrete then there’s a fear that people will fall sick because of hunger and starvation,” Lyngdoh said. “You (the government) have rolled out the vaccine for the virus but you have never thought for a vaccine to prevent famine in poor families.”