Kohima, April 1 (MTNews): With a sharp rise in COVID-19 positive cases in the country in the last four weeks, the Nagaland Health Department has reiterated that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over and urged the citizens to be disciplined and continue to follow all the Covid appropriate behavior.

Addressing a press conference at the Directorate of Health & Family Welfare Department in Kohima today, Commissioner & Secretary, of Health & Family Welfare Department Y Kikheto Sema urged the people not to panic as the current wave is not as serious as compared to the previous waves of the pandemic. However, he said, “it will continue to be with us.”

Despite the limited infrastructure, he said the state could battle the first and second waves of the pandemic. He also noted that the overall health infrastructure of the state saw a significant uplift, adding that today the state health infrastructure including manpower has been revamped to a large extent.

He said that the state has enough bed capacity, both oxygen-supported and ICU beds. He informed that at present, there are 97 ICU ventilator beds across the district hospitals, 107 ICU beds, 787 oxygen-supported beds, and 307 normal beds with Non-oxygen, besides 200 bedded hospitals for acute medical care at Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research and 100 ICU bedded at Chumoukedima Police Complex.

“The state is prepared to meet any eventualities with all the facilities available,” Kikheto said.

Highlighting the State’s COVID-19 scenario, the health Commissioner said the state has so far reported not a single Covid case since 11 February this year but cautioned that one should not be careless.

He said all precautions are in place and several meetings with the health workers are being conducted. He informed that under the direction of the Health Ministry, the last mock drill for public health preparedness was conducted on 27 December 2022, where 85 health units participated, while the next mock drill is scheduled on 10 and 11 April 2023.

Kikheto further emphasized that the department continues to focus on the 5-fold strategy of test–track–treat–vaccination and Covid appropriate behavior. Principal Director Dr Vibeituonuo Mepfuo said the BSL-3 laboratory at NHAK is equipped to conduct genome sequencing. Nodal officer IDSP, Dr Nyan said the Covid testing is not as how it was in the first and second waves, but conducting on an average basis of 20 to 30 COVID tests per day in the state. Dr Nyan said the test is not on the targeted basis but a symptomatic test.

The Commissioner and Secretary was joined by Principal Director Health Dr Vibeituonuo Mepfuo and State Nodal officer Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP), Dr Nyan.

Also read: Brief status report of Covid-19 Pandemic: Nagaland