TURA, Nov 17: Medics in Garo Hills are alarmed by the sudden and sharp rise in infections leading to deaths from comorbidity attributed to the COVID-19 and are not ruling out the beginning of a community spread as the death of two women in Tura on Tuesday pushed the mortality rate to six victims in a span of just one week in the largest town of the region.
A 65-year-old woman from Dobasipara, who was admitted to the COVID ward of Tura Civil Hospital, lost her life on the same day (Tuesday) another 55-year-old woman from Sepoy Colony of the town, who was suffering from low blood pressure or Hypotension and had tested positive during an antigen test, died at her home.
Since Wednesday of last week, there has been no let up in the number of casualties from the disease as Tura registered a death from covid comorbidity each day, barring Saturday. Those who fell victim to the disease came from varied backgrounds and areas. From Dobasipara to Cherangre, Dakopgre to Lower Babupara and now Sepoy Colony.
“We are worried because till now patients found positive with the virus had successfully fought off the infection through medical treatment or self quarantine. But now, we are witnessing people dying and it is all happening so fast. At the pace the casualties are mounting up we cannot rule out the start of a community infection and spread,” worried doctors told The Shillong Times from Tura Civil Hospital — the centre of all COVID care in Garo Hills region.
What is causing such a staggering rise in the infection rate and mortality are manifold.
“The biggest reason is people are refusing to wear masks, undertake social distancing and washing of hands. Visit any shop or market in Tura and you will see for yourself hundreds of people without face masks. Unless the government enforces these covid protocols we will not be able to stem the outbreak and there is danger of the medical system collapsing as the number of patients in need of hospital care rises. We are already getting overwhelmed,” warned doctors in Tura.
Suggestions are being put forward by those at the frontline of fighting the disease to push authorities to enforce the COVID protocols strictly.
“Just by enforcing a fine on violators won’t do it because many are ignorant about the disease. Like a number ofRangbah Shnong in Shillong, even here in Tura our locality committees should enforce these restrictions and also get local NGOs to play an active role in checking people movement with face masks in their respective areas,” complained some of the shoppers in Ringrey market of Tura town.
The opening up of schools and colleges for term end classes, holding of family events and get togethers, and recent celebration of festivals involving crowds hasn’t helped matters.
“Though limitations are put in place for any such social gathering one cannot be assured as to who may be carrying the virus asymptomatic unless each and everyone is tested, which is something totally impossible,” believe doctors.
To make matters worse, the overdependence on Rapid Antigen Test has been found in many states to be a key factor for rise in critical illnesses due to COVID-19.
Doctors fighting the disease in the country’s capital New Delhi have gone on record to state that many people get tested using RAT kits that give results quickly but have lower accuracy rate.
“If someone has a disease symptom he or she should be tested using RT-PCR which is more accurate,” doctors from Apollo Hospital in Delhi have stated in one of their latest bulletins.
In Tura, almost all victims who fell prey to the deadly virus had comorbid conditions and were in the vulnerable age group when they were detected with the disease. Those who did not develop symptoms or fell in the category of COVID that required hospitalisation were asked to self quarantine at home or in a paid institution.
As the cold winter sets in and the air turns heavy with pollution and people huddle in closed rooms, the danger of a much larger spike in infections threatens the citizens of this region, particularly those most vulnerable having an underlying health problem.