The North-Eastern (NE) States have a comparatively lower number of COVID-19 cases in the country, with 3,731 active cases and 5,715 recoveries. Also the death rate continues to be low, with no deaths in Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.
“A critical pillar which hampered the efforts of the NE States in combating COVID-19 outbreak was complete lack of testing facilities. But currently because of the focussed attention of the Centre through the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, these States have 39 testing labs in the public sector and three in the private sector, totalling to 42 labs,’’ noted a senior Ministry official.
The States suffered from an acute lack of dedicated COVID-19 hospitals, health centres and care centres, he added.
“This problem too has been looked into seriously and now healthcare infrastructure across all the NE States has been substantially supplemented with a total of 1,518 COVID-19 facilities. The Central government has also supported the States in stepping up the number of ICU beds, isolation beds, oxygen supported beds and ventilators. This has played a critical role in effective clinical management of cases. Also we have ensured a steady availability of N95 masks, PPE kits and HCQ tablets to the States,’’ the Ministry said.
