Arunachal Pradesh logs 404 fresh COVID-19 cases, three casualties

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Four hundred and four more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Arunachal Pradesh, pushing the total caseload in the northeastern state to 38,283, a senior health official said here on Thursday.

The death toll in the frontier state increased to 184 as three more persons succumbed to the infection in the past two days, he said.

A 35-year-old man from the Capital Complex Region and another 27 years old man from Lower Dibang Valley died on Wednesday while a person of 45 years age from Longding district died on Tuesday, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

All the persons died while undergoing treatment at various health facilities, the official said. The Capital Complex Region reported the highest number of new cases at 98, followed by East Siang (38), Lohit (32), West Kameng (27), Tawang (24), Papumpare (23), Changlang (22), Upper Subansiri and Leparada at 18 each, Lower Dibang Valley (15), Kamle (14), West Siang (13) and East Kameng with 10 cases.

Nine fresh cases were also reported from Lower Siang, seven each from Namsai and Lower Subansiri, five each from Tirap and Upper Siang, four each from Shi-Yomi, Pakke Kessang and Longding, three from Anjaw, two from Siang and one each from Dibang Valley and Kurung Kumey district respectively, the SSO said.

Among the fresh cases, 370 were detected through rapid antigen tests, 22 through RT-PCR and 12 by TrueNat methods, Jampa said adding, 189 people were found symptomatic.

The active cases in the land-locked state now stand stands at 3,363, he said. As many as 211 patients were cured of the disease on Wednesday taking the total number of recoveries in the northeastern state to 34,736, Jampa said. The recovery rate among coronavirus patients in the state stand at 90.73 per cent while the active percentage stands at 8.78 and the positivity rate at 7.4 per cent, the official said. The Capital Complex Region - comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas - has the highest number of active cases at 732, followed by West Kameng (274), East Siang (243), Upper Subansiri (230), Lohit (214), Tawang (201) and Papumpare at 199 cases.

Altogether, 8,00,789 samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the state so far, including 5,458 on Wednesday, Jampa said. State Immunisation Officer Dr Dimong Padung said that a total of 6,74,729 people have been administered COVID-19 vaccine doses so far in the state since the inoculation drive began in January this year.

Three-pronged strategy adopted : The Arunachal Pradesh government has put into force various strategies to curb the spread COVID-19 in the State, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar informed the MHA (Union Home Ministry). Attending a video conference chaired by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Wednesday, Chief Secretary Kumar informed that the state government has been following three strategies to stop the spread of the virus including extensive tracking and testing, enforcement of COVID-appropriate behavior and vaccination drive for all age groups of people. The MHA conducted the video conference was hel with all the Chief Secretaries of Union territories and north east states to review the COVID-19 situation, official sources informed.

Kumar informed that the State has completed first dose vaccination to 68 per cent of the beneficiaries including in the age group of 18 years and above. He, however, requested the Centre for additional three lakh COVID vaccine in order to achieve cent per cent coverage of beneficiaries under 18 years and above groups by next month.

On opening of the State, Kumar informed that the government is ensuring that any person entering Arunachal Pradesh, need to be vaccinated before entering the State.

Also Read: Arunachal Pradesh logs two deaths from Coronavirus

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