The number of COVID-19 active cases dropped to zero in Manipur's Tamenglong district on Sunday while the trend of witnessing zero positive cases has been continuing for a couple of weeks.
As the pandemic situation improved in Tamenglong district, institutions have started running normal classes for Class IX and above. The ringing of the Church bell is heard again and the people are now busy shopping for Christmas and New Year celebrations.
According to the district surveillance officer Tamenglong, as many as 38 persons were tested for COVID-19 on Sunday and they were all found negative.
As per reports, the cumulative number of Covid positive cases is 3,205 while the cumulative number of recovered cases stands as 3,191. As many as 14 persons have passed away after battling the dreadful COVID-19 disease.
In the meantime, speaking exclusively to the Imphal Free Press, district immunisation officer Tamenglong and nodal officer COVID-19 Dr Sunil Kamei said that Covid vaccination is going on in an intensified manner.
House-to-house activities under Har Ghar Dastak (HGD) are being taken up in Tamenglong with 10 teams of Care India in the villages while fixed sessions in all the identified Covid vaccination centers are being held under the supervision of district administration, Tamenglong and state health authority, Government of Manipur, he mentioned.
He informed that the SELCO foundation is also helping Tamenglong district in the vaccination drive.
He regretted that the vaccination rate is still low in Tamenglong district in spite of repeated visits in the villages for vaccination with prior advocacy in the past.
Dr Sunil Kamei further said that the sensitisation on the benefits of Covid vaccine had been conducted at district level and some block level for religious leaders, village chiefs, women groups, other social organisations and civil groups, and also at the village levels.
However, many people of the district are still avoid taking the vaccines out of fear and false beliefs, he said, he said. However, vaccination sessions have been going on since a long time at the villages with no reports of adverse effects from the vaccine, he added.
The vaccination activities are going on with repeated visits to the villages to meet the unreached people. For those who require the second vaccine dose, intermittent visits are needed for the conveniences of the people living in the interior villages where road transport and communication is a challenge, he pointed out.
With the coming of Christmas season and considering the reports of new Covid variant Omicron in the country, the 100 per cent vaccination coverage with two doses is highly necessary and a must for all the people, particularly people living in low vaccination districts such as Tamenglong, he said.
“I, on behalf of the district administration and District health Society Tamenglong appeals to all the unvaccinated people above 18 years including pregnant women and lactating women to get vaccinated at the earliest before it is too late during this house-to-house vaccination drive to prevent the coming of 3rd wave of Covid pandemic,” Dr Sunil added.
