TURA, July 28: A seven-month-old infant in Dakopgre locality of Tura has become the youngest victim of COVID-19 from Garo Hills on Wednesday.
“The mother of the child got infected with the virus which, in turn, may have passed the infection onto the baby. The mother had not taken the vaccine and it becomes very dangerous once infection sets in,” West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh informed.
On the other hand, a septuagenarian from proper Hawakhana who suffered a heart attack and was brought dead to Tura Civil Hospital on the same day was also found positive for COVID-19.
The number of infections in Garo Hills refuses to come down as more and more cases are still getting detected in different regions and towns, including localities across Tura.
An audit of COVID-19 fatalities in West Garo Hills in the past one week by medical teams has found that 95 percent of the deaths happened because those infected had delayed in getting tested and seeking timely treatment. Also, the infections were detected primarily during testing at the hospital itself.
It was also revealed that out of the total number of deaths from COVID-19 in the last one week, 97 per cent of the victims were found to be unvaccinated.
“This delay in seeking healthcare is becoming an alarming factor in handling the fatality numbers. People who find themselves symptomatic or even test positive may be allowed to go by themselves to the hospitals without waiting for ambulances to ferry them. This would help in simplifying the process and de-stigmatize those who test positive to seek early treatment in a way they find convenient, which could be the nearest PHC/CHC or a hospital of their choice,” said the DC in a special bulletin on Wednesday.
There is also a concern over the use of unscientific medical treatment for COVID-19. According to the DC, people are seeking alternative medicines or visiting informal practitioners and getting admitted to hospitals only at a later stage, which may have aggravated the infection further and may have even contributed to the fatalities.
