Kohima, Dec 22 (PTI) The Nagaland Health and Family Welfare Department has sent the samples of a man who tested positive for COVID-19 on his return from the USA for genome sequencing to find the variant of the virus, an official said on Wednesday.
Principal Director of Health and Family Welfare Dr Neikhrielie Khimiao told reporters here that the person had returned eight days back and was in quarantine as per the laid down protocols and the test result has been found positive.
However, with Nagaland lacking the facility for genome sequencing, the sample has been sent outside the state to detect the variant of the virus and the report is expected in the next 5-6 days, he said.
“Till the result of proper genome sequencing is out, we cannot say whether it is delta or omicron variant,” he said.
Dr Khimiao asserted that the Health Department is fully geared up to combat any situation.
“With the impending Omicron variant, we have issued all the necessary information, advisories and orders to all districts for due precautions at all levels…,” he said.
In particular, the border districts Dimapur, Kohima, Mon, Phek, Wokha and Mokokchung have been asked to remain very cautious with the inbound travellers, he said.
State Nodal Officer for Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, Dr Nyanthung Kikon said that the tools for prevention are the same even for the Omicron variant Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) and vaccination.
The severity of Omicron is not as much as the other variant but it’s highly transmissible and once it starts transmitting there will be a huge load on the health infrastructure with increase in hospitalization and unfortunate incidents might take place, he said.
Meanwhile, State Nodal Officer for Bio-Safety Level-3 laboratories in Nagaland, Dr V Tina Khamo said that a proposal has been sent to the government to set up facilities for genome sequencing in BSL-3 laboratory in Kohima so that samples can be tested here and result declared quickly.
Nagaland’s COVID-19 tally rose to 32,170 on Wednesday as one more person tested positive for the virus.
The state now has 83 active COVID-19 cases while 30,317 people have recovered from the disease and 1,069 patients have migrated to other states.
The COVID-19 death toll in the state remained at 701 for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday as no fresh fatality was reported.
A total of 13,32,942 doses of COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to 7,58,869 people in the state till Tuesday, State Immunization Officer Dr Ritu Thurr said.