Nagaland COVID-19 update : 19 December 2020

The active case in Nagaland stands at 538 while 11,101 were discharged and claimed 73 deaths where 10 were COVID-19 patients but died not due to virus. As of 19th Dec. 2020, Nagaland confirmed 11,841 COVID-19.

State Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) department has raised alarm that the “State was at risk of widespread community transmission” due to unlimited commercial events and parties and avoidable social gatherings.

In its weekly COVID-19 report, the department pointed out that December/winter month was very crucial in containing the spread of infection. However, it said that the State was “witnessing events and social gatherings on an alarming scale”, where COVID-19 appropriate behaviours were not being followed.

It also expressed concern that “high asymptomatic cases” in the state could mean that there were undetected “silent super-spreaders” and cases will manifest only weeks after the event in high-risk people.

H&FW department further pointed out that the weekly percentage of traced contacts or cases from the community had “increased from 1% in the first week of July to 83% this week”.

While pointing out that 50% of all traced contacts or cases from the community were in the age group of 21-40 years, the department maintained that uncontrolled spread among this age group was increasing risk in the higher age groups. Unlike earlier days, where most cases were from the returnees, H&FW said that the situation has become more critical as the “traced contacts were cases from the community”.

“The situation is more alarming unlike earlier days when cases were mostly confined within the quarantine centres,” the department stated. As the weekly sample positivity rate also continued to remain “one of the highest in the country at 10%”, the Health department said this indicated that there were “undetected cases in the population”.

Further, people seeking admission to COVID-19 hospitals have also increased by 50% from the previous week, signifying increase in moderate, severe and critical cases and undetected transmission in the community, the department said.

It may be recalled that Health & Family Welfare Principal Director, Dr. Vizolie Z. Suokhrie informed that a consultative meeting between the H&FW department and various church organisations, civil society organisations, representatives of district administration and Municipal Council was held on December 16. The meeting resolved to appeal to public to avoid mobile carolling in groups, processions, picnics, partying and various forms of mass entertainment events. It also advised deferment or postponement of conferences, jubilees, convocations scheduled during the festive season.

Public were also advised to follow all SOPs at weddings and staggered devotional services to minimize overcrowding. Further it also advised against organising Christmas and New Year community feasts but in unavoidable, then guests should be served take-away packages and to follow social distancing at all times.