[ Karyir Riba ]
ROING, 5 Jul: Just when it had started to look like Lower Dibang Valley (LDV) district was healing itself from the shock of the second wave of Covid-19, its road to recovery seems to have become rocky and hindered once again.
The first case in the second wave in LDV was registered on 26 March, and by mid-April the district had become the worst hit in the state.
Just over a month later, on 1 May, the district had recorded its highest number of active cases till date (second wave) at 310.
With all the lockdowns and joint efforts by the stakeholders and the public, the number of positive cases had started going down at a good rate, mainly in the beginning of June.
With a good recovery rate and a decreased daily positivity rate, on 19 June, the total number of active cases went down drastically to 61.
Then again, due to reasons unknown, the daily number of positive cases started increasing drastically after 26 June, and on 30 June LDV recorded 20 positive cases out of 95 samples collected (21.05 percent positivity rate).
The number of positive cases has since been increasing, and as of 5 July, the district had 109 active cases. Merely 16 days after the lowest recorded active cases, the number has spiked from 61 to 109.
Four areas in the district have been notified as micro-containment zones – New Abali and Shina village under the Iduli PHC, the compound of one Kasu Minno in Midland area, and Bolung area in Parbuk circle. Reportedly, Cheta I and Cheta II will also shortly be notified as micro-containment zones.
DMO Dr R Tatan has once again advised everyone to strictly follow the government laid SOPs. “It is most important to bring change to our living style now and inculcate Covid-appropriate behaviour into our lifestyle. We should come ahead of the old normal, accept and bring the new normal into our lifestyle,” he said.
Dr Tatan stressed on masking, social distancing, sanitizing and getting vaccinated.
Altogether 24,170 people have received the first dose of the vaccine till date in the district, while 3,541 have been fully inoculated.
Out of a total of 7,694 45+ citizens who registered for vaccination, 7,491 have received the first dose and 1,634 have been fully inoculated. As for citizens between 18 and 44 years, out of the 13,110 registered, 12,828 have received the first dose. None has received their second dose yet.
On 5 July, LDV recorded 21 positive cases out of 186 samples collected (11.29 percent positivity rate). Ninety-four persons are in home isolation, while 11 are at the Covid-19 care centre and four at the DCHC.
Eleven persons have recovered, and the number of active cases stands at 109.
