Sikkim on Tuesday recorded eight deaths from Covid-19, the highest single-day toll from the pathogen, taking the overall fatality count to 177.
According to the data released by the state’s health department, the number of Covid cases in the past 24 hours was 241, which meant the caseload crossed the five-figure mark at 10,165, out which 2,739 are active. So far, 7,042 Covid patients have recovered.
Tuesday’s spike comes a day after the state reported only 46 new cases on Monday following six preceding days of 200 or more infections every day.
Sikkim chief secretary S. C. Gupta on Tuesday reviewed the Covid situation in the state and asked health officials to ramp up the vaccination drive with the active participation of public representatives at the grassroots. “He also urged them to augment the availability of hospital beds for Covid patients and Covid ICUs and asked them to strictly monitor the supply of oxygen in the state for emergency preparedness,” said an official release.
In separate orders issued by the state home and health departments later, a few changes were made in the Covid containment measures. Passengers reaching the Pakyong Airport will have to carry RT-PCR negative reports conducted not earlier than 48 hours of their arrival and those without valid reports will have to undergo 10-day paid quarantine compulsorily.
However, it’s not mandatory for healthy individuals to carry RT-PCR reports for inter-state travel.
In keeping with the Union health ministry’s recent guidelines, persons who have tested positive either in RT-CPR or rapid antigen tests will not have to take repeat test and Covid-recovered persons will also not have to undergo RT-PCR tests at the time of their discharge.
At the review meeting, the official release said, the health official apprised the chief secretary of the low turnout of elderly people in rural areas in the vaccination drive and the hesitancy shown by certain groups to take the jab, resulting in the delay in the completion of the first dose of targeted groups.
