State projects COVID peak for winters

SHILLONG: With COVID-19 cases in the state speculated to hit its peak this winter, the state government is facing double challenge of lack of infrastructure and financial stress.
Indicating that community spread of the virus could have started, Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek said, “The cases are going to increase a lot. I appeal to the people to be disciplined or else we will not be able to control its spread.”
He claimed that as per predictions by experts, the COVID-19 cases would peak in the state this winter, and with the state reporting its highest single day spike of new cases with 231 cases confirmed on Friday, the speculations are feared to be turning true.
When asked if the state government has enough resources to deal with the impending challenge, the minister said that the government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that testing capacity, ventilators and other facilities are enhanced in the state.
Currently, the state has a bed capacity of 919 in eight corona care centres across the state, out of which 450 are occupied.
The total bed capacity in the state is 5027, with all the hospitals and corona care centres taken together.
The occupancy rate in the state stands at 11.48 per cent at the moment.
The Health minister, while admitting that the state does not have enough resources, added that the government is doing everything in its capacity to prepare the state to tackle the situation.
The state so far has conducted a total of 1,51,317 COVID-19 tests, out of which 71,218 are RT-PCR, 2,923 CBNAAT, 3,986 TRUNAAT and 73,151 antigen tests.
The state government has also approached the Union government seeking financial assistance to deal with the pandemic situation, as else it would be difficult for the state to tackle the situation.