RIMS will remain closed till 29th July
IMPHAL, Jul 26: The Regional Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) hospital has been shut down with immediate effect from today till July 29 due to rising of OCVID-19 case among the hospital staff. However, the flu clinic near the isolation ward and laboratory services of VRDL and MDRU, RIMS will function as usual, said an order issued by Medical Superintendent, Professor Ch Arunkumar Singh.
All Heads of Departments/Units are directed to reinforce the infection prevention and control measures very strictly to contain the spread of COVID-19. The Heads of the Departments should also submit the names of the doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers (those left out of COVID-19) testing, said the order.
Similarly, the Churachandpur District Hospital testing positive for COVID-19 also closed down all its services to prevent local transmission in the vicinity. The closure includes the OPD, new admission, routine operations and routine investigations, hospital canteen and Emergency Pharmacy.
However services in Emergency/Casualty, Flu Clinic and care for patients who are already admitted in the hospital will continue until further orders. An order to this effect was issued by the Medical Superintendent of the hospital. Six people who have been undergoing treatment in the Derma-Nephro ward of RIMS, eleven CISF personnel and three doctors of Thoubal district hospital have been tested positive for COVID-19.
The 11 CISF personnel were among 80 personnel who had come to Manipur recently to provide security cover to the Chief Minister, said sources and added that they are all staying at the quarantine centre opened at Vale Academy.
Six people were found positive after patients undergoing treatment at RIMS and hospital staff were tested for COVID-19. Moreover two nurses and two staff have also been tested positive, sources informed.
Eleven CISF personnel who arrived recently to for security cover to be given to the Chief Minister and are staying at a quarantine centre opened at Vale Academy have been tested positive for the virus.
Meanwhile, three doctors and one staff of Thoubal district hospital were tested positive for the contagion at RIMS today. Further, 15 people were tested positive after rapid antigen test at Thoubal district hospital and eight others were found positive after tests by a mobile team, said the sources.
Of the 15 people tested positive after rapid antigen test, two are family members of the doctor posted at Senapati who had already contracted the virus. Three others belong to Lilong Turel Ahanbi.
Five family members of an elder brother of the man who runs a shop at Thoubal Keithel and tested positive for COVID-19, six year old daughter of a man who sells toys at Thoubal Keithel and another shopkeepers are among the 15 confirmed for the contagion.
According to a press release issued by Additional Director (Health) and COVID-19 Common Control Room spokesman Dr Khoirom Sasheekumar Mangang, 59 people were tested positive for COVID-19 during the past 24 hours at RIMS and Babina Diagnostics.
37 of them belong to Imphal West, five to Kakching, three to Tamenglong and 14 to Thoubal.
Other than five residents of Thoubal district and one resident of Imphal West district, all the others are returnees from outside the State. With cases of local transmission surging rapidly in different parts of the State, the Government has beefed up the virus containment measures.
While 6475 people have been brought under active surveillance in Thoubal district, 10 new positive cases have been detected in the district, informed the sources.
On the other hand, 454 contacts of the employee of private laboratory located at Churachandpur who had been tested positive for the virus have been identified.
While 143 of them have been tested negative, results of the others are awaited.
According to information received from JNIMS, nine people have been discharged from the hospital after recovery from COVID-19.
Out of 923 samples tested at JNIMS today, 21 were found positive for COVID-19.
Following detection of COVID-19 cases in Imphal West, the district administration has sealed several areas as containment zones.
The areas sealed off today by the Deputy Commissioner, Imphal West include areas of Takyel Khongbal, Pishumthong, Heinoukhongnembi Khwai Bazar, Lamphel (Shija road areas), CM Secretariat, Ghari and Kanglatongbi.
Meanwhile, one individual who runs a chemist shop has tested positive for COVID-19 in Churachandpur district prompting the District Magistrate to order closure of all chemist shops/pharmacies within 50 metres radius of the perimeter fencing of the District Hospital.
The person is a resident of Zenhang Lamka and has no travel history. The district administration has also sealed off the area covered by Silpaak road in east, Rengkai road in west, Paradise road in north and Silpaak road in south.
