Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren on Monday said community transmission of coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) may have taken place in the State.
Mr. Biren, who also holds the Health and Family Welfare portfolio, said, “Since I am not an expert I cannot say that there is now community transmission of COVID-19 . However there is a general apprehension that it has already taken place as established by the growing reports of infections and deaths.”
Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar has written to the Indian Council of Medical Research and other authorities on this issue. Manipur is also thinking about extending a complete lockdown .
The Chief Minister said: “There is a financial angle to the proposed extension of the complete lockdown in Manipur. Testing kits and others have to be bought by the State government now. ICMR has stopped free supply of testing kits to the States.”
He added that people were not following the safety rules and only if they did, the disease could be brought under control.
Mr. Biren said doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff were also getting infected.
Students’ protest
Six students organisations staged a sit-in in Imphal, demanding a state policy to handle the burgeoning threat of the COVID-19.
N. Edison, president of DESAM, a students’ organisation, said, “We had submitted a 12-point memorandum to the Chief Minister during a meeting on Sunday. We are demanding a State policy on how to tackle the COVID-19 infection. Five hundred beds should be set aside in a major hospital for the COVID-19 patients. Another 500-bedded hospital should also be opened.”
The agitating students are also demanding that the order deputing two IAS officers to supervise doctors should be withdrawn immediately.
There is also a growing concern among the people on the contradictory test results. Reports in the local media said that some persons who were certified as COVID-19 negative were later found to be positive.
Officials said that to the check the spread of COVID-19, containment zones have been declared in several localities.
