6 more with no travel history test positive

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jul 24: Fear of community transmission looms large as more and more people with no travel history have been tested positive for COVID-19 in the last few days. As many as 32 people including 11 Assam Rifles personnel, a doctor and a shopkeeper at Thoubal bazar have tested positive for the virus today. At least six of the cases have no travel history.
The State's COVID-19 tally has reached 2147 with 656 active cases. 1491 have recovered from the disease and the State's recovery rate now stands at 69.44 per cent.
The doctor who tested COVID-19 positive today hails from Lilong Turel Ahanbi, Thoubal district and was posted at Senapati. Health authorities are suspecting that the doctor may have contracted the virus when attending patients at home, sources said.
In addition to the doctor, four more from Thoubal district (including the shopkeeper) who have no travel history also tested positive today, as per a report of the COVID-19 Common Control Room.
With the detection of the cases with no travel history at Thoubal, there is apprehension among the people in the district about the possibility of a community outbreak. It may be noted that the health authorities and the district administration are on high alert in the district and have started door to door rapid antigen testing of suspected cases who had close contact with known COVID-19 positive patients. It may be noted here that two Pradhans of Gram Panchayats in the district had also tested positive for the virus recently.
Meanwhile considering the grim situation in Thoubal district, a State technical experts' committee meeting chaired by Health Director, K Rajo was held today, said sources.
The meeting resolved to enhance contact tracing and step up all efforts for containing the virus spread in the district.
The committee also noted the need for a separate SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for COVID-19 in the State and separate quarantine centres and COVID-19 Care Centres for the CRPF/BSF and Assam Rifles personnel.
An earlier report of COVID-19 Common Control Room showed that 31 persons including 29 males and 2 females tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.
The cases were detected at RIMS (11 cases), Jiribam (11), JNIMS (5), Thoubal (4). They belong to Imphal West (11), 37 Assam Rifles, Jiribam (11), Thoubal (5), Ukhrul (2), Churachandpur (1) and Imphal East (1).
Six of the cases including four from Thoubal and two from Imphal West have no travel history. All the others are returnees, said the report.
Meanwhile, 31 persons have recovered from COVID-19 and they have been discharged from COVID-19 Care Centres in Meitram (2 persons), Senapati (5), Lamphel (5), Thoubal (2), RIMS (4) and JNIMS (13). They were found COVID-19 free on RT PCR test, added the report.
Moreover, following the rise in the number of cases with no travel history, the Government had announced a strict 7 days lockdown till July 30 in a bid to flatten the infection curve. If the number of infection does not come down and the situation in districts does not improve, the lockdown may be extended by 7 more days, said sources.