SHILLONG, Aug 1: Meghalaya, particularly the capital town, is witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases since the past two weeks, with official data projecting Mawlai, Nongmensong, Nongrah and Madanrting clusters as the major contributors to the daily list of fresh cases and fatalities.
During the months of June and July, 1386 cases were reported in the 24 localities under Mawlai cluster including 196 (1st week of June), 162 (2nd Week), 104 (3rd week), 152 (4th week) and 125 (5th week). Cases reported in July include 121 cases (1st week), 121 (2nd week), 88 (3rd week), 179 (4th week) and 131 (5th week). Out of 1386 cases, the total number of unvaccinated patients is 1091 (78.7%).
The total number of COVID-19 deaths in the last two months was 33 of which 29 (87.8%) were unvaccinated.
As of July 30, there are 262 active cases under Mawlai cluster — 45 from Mawlai Mawdatbaki, 31 from Mawlai Mawtawar, 27 from Mawlai Motsyiar and 25 from Mawiong Umjapung.
A total of 3640 cases have been reported from Mawlai cluster since the pandemic hit the state in 2020 and 75 people have died so far.
The maximum number of cases has been reported from Mawlai Mawdatbaki (521), Mawiong Umjapung (443), Mawlai Nongkwar (343) and Mawlai Phudmuri (341).
Meanwhile, in the months of June and July, a total number of 324 cases were reported from the six blocks under Nongmensong cluster. Cases reported in June include 25 (1st week), 41 (2nd week), 36 (3rd week), 49 (4th week) and 27 (5th week). Cases reported in July include 18 (1st week), 29 (2nd week), 31 (3rd week), 47 (4th week) and 21 (5th week).
Out of 324 cases, the total number of unvaccinated patients is 238 (73.4%). The total number of COVID-19 deaths in the two months was 17 of which 11 (64.7%) were unvaccinated.
As many as 914 cases were reported in Nongmensong cluster since April, 2020 while 28 people have died due to COVID-19. As on July 31, there are 50 active cases in Nongmensong cluster.
Besides Mawlai and Nongmensong clusters, a large number of cases are being reported from Nongrah cluster. A total of 176 cases were reported in the last two months including 18 in the 1st week of June, 25 (2nd week), 19 (3rd week), 15 (4th week) and 13 (5th week). Cases reported in July include 9 in the 1st week), 9 (2nd week), 10 (3rd week), 41 (4th week) and 19 (5th week).
Out of 176 positive cases, there are 145 (82.3%) unvaccinated patients. In the same period, ten persons succumbed to COVID-19 of which nine (90%) were unvaccinated.
Nongrah has reported 513 cases since the beginning of the pandemic while 17 people have died so far. As on July 31, there are 58 active cases under the cluster.
In Madanrting cluster, a total of 859 patients have tested positive in the last two weeks while 20 people have died of the viral infection. As on July 31, there are 81 active cases in Madanrting cluster.
When contacted, Rangbah Shnong of Mawlai Iewrynghep and Mawlai Town Dorbar (MTD) coordinator, Herlambok War said that the main reason behind the surge in COVID cases is because the people are taking this pandemic very lightly.
According to him, it is difficult for the Dorbar Shnong to impose restrictions, adding that they can only make an appeal to the residents. War said that the surge in the number of cases is expected with the relaxation in COVID restrictions especially with the opening of the market places.
He said that people are agitated even if they are asked to quarantine themselves for being high-risk contacts.
The MTD coordinator said that people are afraid to go to the hospital even when they are symptomatic.
War observed that the stigma attached to this virus is perhaps one of the reasons people are afraid to get themselves tested.
“The adamant attitude towards testing has allowed the virus to spread,” he said.
The Rangbah Shnong of Mawlai Iewrynghep said that this issue will be deliberated in the MTD on the need to continue with the aggressive campaign not only on the vaccine but even to address the issue of testing hesitancy and to go for early treatment.
War also informed that they will soon be having another meeting with East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Isawanda Laloo to review the situation in Mawlai cluster.
Echoing similar views, Nongmensong Rangbah Shnong, B. Khonglah said that they have been working very closely with the Health Department and the district administration in organising awareness, vaccination programme and even to carry out random testing in the blocks where there are large numbers of positive cases.
According to him, the lack of response from residents is one of the major stumbling blocks to the efforts of the Dorbar Shnong to ensure that the virus does not spread. Khonglah also made it clear that the Dorbar cannot impose on people to take the vaccination.
He observed that people who are coming from outside are being asked to quarantine in their homes during the second wave. He had witnessed that the problem arose because not everyone is strictly following the protocols and this led to the spread within the family members.
Stating that the surge of cases in Nongmensong is a matter of grave concern, Khonglah said they have started to do micro-containment in places where there are a large number of cases.
He also said that the Dorbar Shnong is no longer able to engage volunteers due to financial constraints even as he recalled that they had engaged volunteers even to set up community quarantine centres during the first wave last year.
“But we cannot continue with this initiative since the expenditure was so high,” Khonglah said.
He also observed that the targeted non-local residents of the locality are coming forward to take the vaccination adding that the hesitancy is among the local indigenous population.
“We are still making efforts to help them understand that vaccination is the only protection from this infectious virus,” he said.
Khonglah informed that there are three blocks which are badly affected at present which include Lumshyiap, Dong Kamon and Langkyrding. He informed that they have started micro-containment at Langkyrding since Saturday.
Informing that initially there was a good response to the vaccination drive Khonglah said that the response at present is very low. According to him, the vaccination coverage of the targeted population in the locality is around 60 percent.
A senior official of the Health department reiterated that most of the infected people who died from the viral infection were not vaccinated. He claimed that people are taking things very lightly and are in denial about being infected by the virus despite having symptoms. Because of that they shy away from going to the hospital since those who are symptomatic are being tested, he added.
Stating that the number of people coming to the OPDs of the hospitals has decreased substantially, the Health official observed that this is the season when hospitals are flooded with patients.
The official also observed that many are indulging in self-medication buying medicines over the counter. It’s only in the late stages that people are taken to the hospital.
He asserted that people should understand that this is a pandemic and this infectious virus has spread everywhere.
Pointing out that wearing of masks, washing of hands and physical distancing are short-term measures, the official said that the only way to protect the whole community is through vaccination.
According to him, the first dose would give only 30 percent of protection and may be 70 percent protection from hospitalisation or severe illness.
“But if you get both the doses, the chances of hospitalisation comes down to only eight percent,” he added.
