SHILLONG, Aug 12: The failure in adhering to COVID-appropriate behaviour is a major factor behind the surge in the COVID-19 cases in the Mawlai cluster.
A high percentage of health workers and hospital security guards living in various localities of Mawlai is another factor, officials said.
A total of 3,293 COVID-19 cases were reported in the 24 localities under Mawlai cluster since April this year and 80 of them succumbed to the virus. The number of cases in the cluster had hit a high of 98 on May 24.
PT Passah, the incident commander of the Mawlai cluster, said COVID-appropriate behaviour such as wearing of masks and maintaining physical distance in crowded places is still lacking in the area. “People need to understand their responsibilities for preventing the spread of the virus,” he said.
He, however, said the number of cases in the Mawlai cluster is expected to be high because of the sheer size of the localities it covers and the population therein.
He said people not coming forward to identify themselves as high-risk contacts has been a matter of great concern. “The virus will spread fast if we are not able to trace the high contacts,” he added.
Passah said the Health department has managed to cover almost all the localities with awareness programmes to educate the people on the vaccination and the importance of early testing.
“We have conducted awareness in some localities two or three times,” he said, admitting the “extreme difficulty” in explaining things to the “less educated who are easy to mislead”.
He said a door-to-door campaign has been started to educate the people on the need to go for early testing and early treatment besides highlighting the importance of taking the vaccine for protection against COVID-19.
Some localities under the Mawlai cluster are reportedly not cooperating with the Health department, especially for the vaccination drive. The vaccination coverage in Mawlai has thus been dismal.
Even some churches are trying to mislead the people about the vaccine, officials said.
Mawlai Town Dorbar (MTD) coordinator and Rangbah Shnong of Mawlai Iewrynghep, Herlambok War said they are trying their best to deal with the COVID-19 situation across the localities.
He said various Dorbar Shnong under the Mawlai cluster are in agreement that an awareness campaign on COVID-19-related issues is the need of the hour. Many people still do not understand the importance to strictly follow the COVID-19 guidelines, he said.
War also observed that some people are afraid of getting themselves tested even after having the symptoms, often becoming carriers of the virus.
“We are also motivating people to get vaccinated besides handling religious fanatics who are trying to mislead the people,” he said.
Mawlai legislator PT Sawkmie attributed the rise in the number of cases in Mawlai to the area its people living in close proximity.
“People afraid of being tested for COVID-19 are hesitant in going to the hospital. The delay in receiving treatment thus kills many before they reach the hospital,” he said.
Sawkmie urged the people of the Mawlai area to strictly follow the COVID-19 protocols and avoid crowded places.
On the dismal percentage of vaccination in Mawlai, he said people are slowly realising they need to get themselves vaccinated.
“I am hopeful that the vaccination percentage will go up with the government opening the religious places. People will have to get vaccinated once the government decides to open the educational institutions,” Sawkmie said.
For Mawlai MDC Teibor Pathaw, a bigger worry is the number of people succumbing to the virus.
“But the number of cases and deaths will come down when people follow the protocols,” he said.
Pathaw lauded the Health department for trying to counter the negative campaign against the vaccine.
“Rumours about the efficacy of the vaccine appear to have convinced many people. Making people understand that the vaccine is the only protection against the virus is an uphill task,” the MDC said.
