Amid the concern over the Covid-19 third wave, which is likely to infect children the most, Health director Dr K Rajo has cautioned all parents in the state to get vaccinated to prevent the virus from spreading to children. He was speaking to the media during a state-level press briefing on COVID-19 pandemic held at the State Ophthalmic Cell, Imphal, on Friday.
Dr Rajo said that as parents are in touch with different people during their daily activities, they are likely to become infected and further spread the virus to their kids. Therefore, getting vaccinated will prevent the virus from spreading further to their children, who will be the targeted victims of the third wave of the pandemic as per experts, the director said.
Moreover, as preventive measures, parents should also start training their children on Covid appropriate behaviours such as maintaining social distancing, proper wearing of face masks and others, he added.
Highlighting on the preparations undertaken up by the state government to effectively combat the third wave, he informed that the state government had constituted a 'State Task Force for Covid Control' by appointing the principal secretary of Health and Family Welfare as its chairman and including experts from state government, IMA, UNICEF and WHO.
Rajo said that the Health department has also taken up necessary steps to arrange the needed drugs, medicines and equipment (as suggested by the central government) for the treatment of children with Covid positive cases.
Moreover, all district hospitals and health centres, including RIMS and JNIMS, had been instructed to arrange dedicated beds for children, he added.
In order to provide sufficient medical oxygen, the government has already installed two Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) cryogenic storage tanks at JNIMS and Porompat and is working to install PSA oxygen generator plants in all the districts of the state, informed the director.
He further said that the 200 bedded dedicated Covid hospital constructed at Kiyamgei is almost completed. At least 50 per cent of the hospital beds will be kept reserved as dedicated beds for children, he added.
The director also informed that altogether, six children below 15 years of age have succumbed to Covid so far. The first wave claimed two lives while the second wave claimed four in the state.
Reading out the data of Covid positive cases among children, he said 58 children below one year were infected with Covid-19 during the first wave and 148 children during the second wave (till August 26).
As many as 704 children below five years got infected during the first wave and 2,886 children during the second wave (till August 26).
A total of 2,659 children below 15 years got infected during the first wave and 12,970 children during the second wave (till August 26). As many as 3,600 children below 18 years became infected during the first wave while 16,477 children during the second wave (till August 26), he stated.
Regarding the cases of black fungus (mucormycosis) in Manipur, Rajo said that the state had detected a total of nine black fungus cases, of which two died, six recovered, while two are still undergoing treatment at RIMS and AIIMS.
Pointing out that the number of COVID-19 positive and death cases have drastically reduced, he said, “We should continue to stick to Covid appropriate behaviours.”
Tightening the Covid appropriate behaviours is the first priority and vaccination is the second priority to effectively prevent the arrival of the third wave of the pandemic, he added.
Taking the opportunity of the press briefing, the state nodal officer of the Health department Dr Rosie informed that the government had launched a week long free RTPCR and Rapid Antigen Testing in Imphal West and Imphal East districts from Friday (August 27, 2021) at different designated sites decided by the department.
Public can avail the free testing on call basis from 10 am to 5 pm by contacting the mobile no. 6909795542 or 6005922527, she added.
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