Three more Omicron cases have been detected in the state taking the state's total Omicron cases to
42, while on the other hand the Centre has said that Omicron variant is now in community transmission stage particularly in metropolitan cities. The state Directorate of Health Services have once again advised the general public to follow strictly COVID 19 appropriate behaviour and get vaccinated for COVID-19.
In view of the recent spike in Covid-19 cases and the Omicron variant spread in the state, the government has made it mandatory for travellers entering Manipur by road or air to carry negative COVID-19 test reports, that too of RT-PCR. In the last few days, the daily positivity rate is increasing by leaps and bounds and as such the presence of the new variant Omicron is suspected to be the driver of the recent surge. From a single confirmed case of Omicron, it has now increased to 39 and everyone knows the detection of Omicron variant takes time as it has to go through a rigorous process of whole genome sequencing.
The returnees from Tanzania and UAE ultimately turned out to be Omicron positive. If we look at the nature of the recent surge, many of the new positives could be of Omicron. Amidst this concern, the recent reports of fake RT-PCR negative test certificates in the media was quite troubling. This came to light when a traveller entering the state by road through the Mao Gate was found carrying a fake RT-PCR negative test report.
All travellers arriving in Manipur by road are checked for Covid negative certificates, at the Mao Gate. The traveller disclosed that he received a fake RT-PCR negative test report from a nearby Dimapur railway station for Rs 250 and entered the Mao gate. The man had reached Imphal through Dimapur via Mao gate on Monday but on the way from Dimapur, he along with some persons bought the negative test certificates without actually undergoing the RT-PCR tests.
It is still not clear how we are dealing with the problem of fake RT-PCR reports. Manipur Health Director K Rajo had announced that it is mandatory for all air passengers or road passengers or anybody entering the state to carry a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test report done within 48-hours of arrival or entering into the state. But it is not enough. One has to check the veracity or genuineness of the test reports being produced by persons entering the state or returnees.
The Union Health Ministry has a recognised list of testing laboratories for Covid 19, but we do not know whether it has a unified database of the all the tests done so that any test results could be confirmed online. Now, it has become necessary to verify every test report through such a database and also to develop a strategy to detect fake test reports.
On the other hand, the more important issue at hand is about the low vaccination rate in some of the hill districts particularly in Kangpokpi and Ukhrul districts. Meanwhile, the state on Tuesday reported 461 new COVID-19 positive cases, pushing the state's confirmed tally to 1,30,951 while the death toll mounted to 2,031 with four new fatalities and a positivity rate currently is 17.2 per cent.
With state assembly elections knocking at the door, the situation is quite alarming. Although the Election Commission had banned election rallies and imposed restrictions in door to door campaigning till January 31, election related feasts and gatherings is still going on.
There are reports of candidates or their agents organising these get-togethers every now and then. So, it has become urgent for state health authorities and district administrators to use their imagination to scale up the vaccination drive.
-Editorial
