Manipur To Purchase 50,000 More COVID-19 Tests To Scale Up Testing

"With the number of positive cases now touching 1,197, we are all concerned. Each person should re-commit to adopt the COVID-19 preventive actions of social distancing, wearing face masks and washing hands with soap. All social gathering should be avoided," the CM was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

The development comes in the wake of surging COVID-19 cases in the state. According to the CM, of the total active cases in the state, as many as 502 are personnel of Army/Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).

The CM added that in order to ensure that security forces enhance their COVID prevention, Manipur Chief Secretary had a meeting with senior officers of the Army and CAPF on Tuesday. As per a government source, it was decided in the meeting that all security formations should appoint a state-level Nodal officer to coordinate with departments of Home and Health and the state police headquarters. They are also required to establish quarantine facilities in centralised locations.

All formations were instructed by the Chief Secretary to establish a unit for sample collection, record keeping, sending of samples for testing and collection of test results.

Meanwhile, as there have been positive cases in the police department, the CM said that contact tracing and testing has been taken up aggressively.

According to the media, an official source said that over 840 police personnel and contacts have already been tested. In addition, a dedicated sample taking/testing team is being set up using police department doctors and health care workers in an effort to scale up testing.

"We have also decided to increase the number of sample/testing teams in Imphal West and East as spread is more," the CM said.

As of Thursday, Manipur has reported 3,093 cases of COVID-19, of which 1,862 people have recovered and 7 have succumbed to the virus.