- October records highest number of cases & deaths
- 57% of cases are from traced contacts
- Fever & cough most common reported symptoms
DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 31: The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Nagaland with the State reporting the maximum number of cases in the month of October at 2782 positive cases. A major worry is that out of the 2782 cases detected in October, 57% of the cases are of traced contacts, perhaps indicating that the State is slowly entering the community spread stage.
The second highest monthly COVID-19 cases reported in the State was in August (2257 cases) and September (2,213).
According to the COVID-19 weekly bulletin issued by the State Department of Health & Family Welfare, the month of October recorded the highest positivity rate till date in the State at 15.4 % despite fewer testing. It attributed the decline in testing to a more “targeted and focused testing” approach.
The sample positivity rate in Nagaland at 9.15% remains higher than the national average of 7.48%.
Another major concern is that October month reported the maximum number deaths till date. 15 out of 33 deaths were reported in October and 73% of all deaths were reported from Dimapur. Last week (Oct 24-30), 11 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed by the State death committee.
The District wise deaths are Dimapur – 24, Kohima – 6, Mon – 1, Mokokchung – 1 and Wokha – 1. 60% of all deaths are below 60 years of age.
The bulletin also revealed that ICU admissions have increased 5 times during the month of October. The month reported the maximum number of critical cases needing ICU care and invasive ventilation.
Informing that hypertension and diabetes are the most common associated co-morbidities, the bulletin said this is alarming due to the high prevalence of non-communicable diseases (hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases) in the State.
The bulletin informed that 52% of traced contacts are in the 21-40 years age group, which poses high risk to the older age groups. It maintained that these age groups are expected to follow all safety measures and strictly avoid social events and gatherings. The most affected age group is 21-30 years at 26% and 31-40 years at 26%.
“The high positivity rate among the 21-40 years is alarming. The uncontrolled spread among these age groups poses an increased risk in the higher age groups,” it said.
In the past week, there was a 1% increase in the 60-plus age group, which indicates an epidemiological shift from the younger to the older age groups. The percentage of traced contacts in the 60-plus age group is now 5%, it revealed.
Positivity among students (18% of positive traced contacts) also continues to remain high, while there is increasing positivity among patients attending flu clinics.
Informing that close contact settings (household, offices, restaurants, prison, church, old age home, etc) are seeing more and more infections, the bulletin said household (28%) and offices (23%) continue to be the most common places of infection.
With regards to symptoms, fever (77%), cough (48%) and shortness of breath are the most common reported symptoms in the State. Infections in people with co-morbidities (0.73%) are also slowly increasing, it said.
The bulletin informed that an infected person is most infectious 1 or 2 days before symptoms and during the symptomatic phase. “A major challenge in COVID-19 is that asymptomatic cases can transmit the infection unaware,” it said. Stating that the main mode of COVID-19 transmission is from person to person, the bulletin reiterated that the only precaution to stay safe during the pandemic is to strictly follow the 3 W’s (wash hands, watch distance and wear mask) and avoid the 3 C’s (crowded places, close contact setting and confined settings).
“This is the only proven preventive measure till date,” it reiterated.
State COVID-19 tally crosses 9000
Nagaland on Saturday reported 102 new cases of COVID-19 taking the State’s tally to 9047. But with 7375 recoveries and 33 deaths, the number of active cases in the State is 1552.
Of the new cases, 84 were detected in Dimapur, 16 in Kohima and 2 in Mon.
As per the severity of symptoms 1,478 active cases are asymptomatic, 49 active cases are mild, 6 active cases are moderate on oxygen, 9 active cases are severe on oxygen, 7 active cases are critical with oxygen and 3 active cases are on ventilator.
Out of 9,047 positive cases, the distribution across various categories of people is: Armed Forces/Police – 3934, Traced Contacts – 3019, Returnees – 1656 and Frontline Workers – 438.
(Page News Service)
