Arunachal’s COVID-19 Tally Rises to 387

ITANAGAR:
Arunachal Pradesh’s COVID-19 caseload rose to 387 on Tuesday with 27 more people, including 10 ITBP personnel, testing positive for the infection, while one more coronavirus fatality pushed the death toll to three, a senior health official said.

Twenty-two of the 27 fresh cases were reported in the Capital Complex region where a lockdown is imposed, while two each were registered in East Kameng and Namsai districts and one in Changlang, State Surveillance Officer Dr L Jampa said. East Kameng district reported COVID-19 cases for the first time, he said.

The state registered its third COVID-19 fatality after a 32-year-old businessman from Naharlagun died at the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) on Monday night, the official said. The COVID-19 patient was admitted to the hospital on July 9 with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and diabetes, he said.

Arunachal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) president Tarh Nachung mourned the businessman’s death, saying he had played a proactive role in ensuring the supply of essential commodities in the state during the lockdown. The 10 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel, who are among the 22 new patients in the Capital Complex region, had recently returned from Assam and were placed under institutional quarantine, Dr Jampa said.

The Capital Complex region comprises Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas. Eight new cases were reported from various sectors of Naharlagun. Two health workers each from the TRIHMS and the office of the Directorate of Health Services have also tested positive for the infection, he said.

The new patients from Changlang, Namsai and East Kameng districts are returnees from other states, the official said. All barring four new patients are asymptomatic and they have been admitted to COVID care centres, he said.

Seven more people have recovered from the disease. They have been advised 14-day home quarantine and self-monitoring upon their release from hospitals, the official said. The Capital Complex has so far registered 114 cases, the highest in the state, followed by Changlang (36), West Kameng and Namsai (15 each) and Lower Subansiri (12).

Of the 387 cases, 239 are active while 145 people have recovered and three patients have died, Dr Jampa said, adding 32,691 samples have been tested so far. Chief Minister Pema Khandu has appealed to the people to “bring behavioural changes” and follow the guidelines laid down in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“The most effective intervention in our fight against #coronavirus will be through personal behaviour changes –wearing mask always, maintaining social distance and washing hands regularly. These are universal measures, but effective and require constant reminder on us,” Khandu tweeted.

Meanwhile, Governor Brig (Retd) Dr B D Mishra, his wife Neelam Mishra and officials and security personnel at the Raj Bhavan underwent COVID-19 tests voluntarily on Monday, an official communique said. The antigen tests were conducted by a team of medical practitioners led by Dr Jampa and District Medical officer (DMO) Dr Mandip Perme, it said, adding the test results will be available within a couple of days.

The governor said the Raj Bhavan staff members were attending work even during the lockdown by following the standard operating procedure laid down by the state government. He appealed to the people to wear masks, maintain social distancing and frequently wash their hands.

The governor also urged the people to install the ‘Aarogya Setu’ application on their mobile phones. Arunachal Pradesh had remained virus-free till May 23.It witnessed a spurt in COVID-19 cases after residents started returning from other parts of the country.