Stick to the three commandments Growing fatality rate

Stick to the three commandments-always wear a face mask that too correctly, maintain social distancing and wash one’s hands frequently with soap and water or with a hand sanitiser-and this observation is made with a reason. Once one is infected, the mantra of all doctors and medical experts is ‘get timely medical attention’ or ‘get treated soon, let there be no undue delay.’ It is these lines which Deputy Superintendent of RIMS in a video footage to all the media houses has stressed on. This same line was echoed by Managing Director of Shija Hospital, Dr Kh Palin last year during the first wave of the global pandemic. All solid advices and suggestions and something to be taken seriously by all given that the fatality rate has suddenly galloped with Manipur witnessing the highest death tally on a single day with 20 on May 11. Yet on the other hand, Thangmeiband Assembly Constituency MLA Kh Joykisan has asserted that the mortality rate due to the virus is rising because patients are getting medical attention very late. The MLA went to the extent of declaring that the Committee formed by the Government to refer Covid patients requiring hospitalisation has miserably failed.  ‘Covid patients have to wait for hours before getting admission in a hospital’ is a line maintained by the MLA and qualified this with the statement that a reference from the said Committee is needed for a Covid patient to get admission in a hospital. This is where the Government would need to take a relook at how the said Committee is functioning and how well equipped are the hospitals to take in the patients who need urgent hospitalisation. The observation of Kh Joykisan should be taken in the context of the present reality and the inputs of all MLAs should be taken with the merit it deserves and nothing should be seen along the line of ruling and the Opposition. This is about human lives and how to take the fight to the virus. One wishes that all the 60 MLAs focus attention on their respective Constituencies and chip in with their suggestions so that the Government can also more accurately wisen up to the reality of what is happening at the ground.
Situation is certainly disturbing. Manipur has already reported a record of 600 cases in a single day on May 7 and this was followed by 592 positive cases on May 11. Top this off with the rising fatality cases, with the State recording the highest single day deaths so far with 20 on May 11 and earlier on May 9, 15 deaths. Read these statistics along with the model run by the University of Michigan recently and their report that the North East could become the next hotspot of the virus is very disturbing. As reported, Assam is reporting about 4,700 positive cases in a day and even Nagaland has reported a spike in cases, prompting the Government of the neighbouring State to clamp a ‘full lockdown’ for a week from May 14. Meghalaya is doing no better too, with the total deaths from the virus having already crossed the 200 mark and having to deal with over 3000 active cases. The situation is grim and this is where everyone would need to walk together. For starters the Government may seriously study the observations made public by the MLA from Thangmeiband AC and see how admission to hospital for Covid patients may be eased and more importantly the people need to follow the SOPs, for adding  to the already stretched infrastructure through negligence would be criminal during this health crisis.