Imphal : Chief minister N Biren Singh, while informing that 40,000 Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) kits arrived Imphal today, urged the people of the state not to worry about shortage of COVID-19 testing kits.
Maintaining that the people of the state have collectively faced the COVID-19 pandemic diligently, Biren said that his government is thankful to healthcare workers, volunteers, community organizations, local leaders, police, etc. for their dedicated efforts in combating the pandemic.
The State Government has been complying with the guidelines and SoPs laid down by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Home Affairs and ICMR, Shri N. Biren said, adding that the people should understand that the centre also modifies the guidelines from time to time.
With the beginning of the Unlock process as initiated by the centre people are getting back to normal activities.
As such, it is likely that the number of COVID-19 cases may also rise, cautioned the CM.
Biren further stated that the State Government’s efforts in the past some months have resulted to low positivity rate, satisfactory recovery rate and low case fatality rate in Manipur.
So, this is a good starting point as the State transitions into the Unlock phase and resume normal livelihood and development activities, he added.
He informed that the collective efforts of the people and the Government have resulted to low COVID-19 positivity rate of 4.77% and this is far below the national average.
The Government is aggrieved of the fatalities, but it is also a fact that the State’s fatality rate of 0.64% is lower than the national average. Manipur’s testing achievement of 90,156 tests per million population is also higher than the national average, he said.
So far, the State Government has spent over Rs. 60 crores in tackling COVID-19 and major expenses are on COVID testing, expenses in setting up and operating Quarantine Centres, COVID Care Centres, handling of returnees, etc.
Inspite of resource constraints, the State Government still stands committed to spare no effort in tackling the pandemic, the Chief Minister said.
He maintained that doctors and experts have tracked and monitored the daily COVID-19 data and analysed trends and projections regularly and new information about the virus and revised protocols of ICMR, MoHFW, MHA, WHO are constantly taken into account.
Based on the growing knowledge about the virus, home isolation of positive people is now an accepted protocol of MoHFW and adopted actively by many States and countries around the world.
In Manipur also, over 600 positives have already opted for Home Isolation successfully, he informed.
Though the Government would continue to expand COVID Care Centres as per requirements, wider adoption of safe and convenient Home Isolation is also encouraged, Biren said.
Biren also urged the public to adopt the three proven COVID prevention actions, viz. wearing face mask in crowded places, frequent hand washing and maintaining physical distancing.