Delta variant detected in Manipur; AYUSH-64 launched18 of 20 samples tested confirm Delta : CM

Imphal, Jun 18 (DIPR)
Chief Minister N Biren today announced that the new Covid variant, the Delta variant has been detected in the State with 18 of the 20 samples sent to a laboratory at Hyderabad confirming this.
Twenty samples were sent for testing to know the variant of the virus, of which 18 samples came out to be of the new variant called Delta variant.
The Chief Minister said this while launching AYUSH-64, a polyherbal formulation, at a simple programme organized by the Directorate of AYUSH, Government of Manipur at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. The same can be used in the treatment of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients and those with mild and moderate symptoms.
Stating that the said variant has been the major cause of the rapid spread, he informed that home isolation patients would be provided additional medicines useful in treatment of this variant.
Apart from this, home isolation patients would also be provided 20 triple-layer masks each, hand sanitizer with extra medicines from today, he added.
N Biren stated that the use of AYUSH-64 (tablet) had been approved by the Ministry of AYUSH for use by adults (above 18 years of age) in treatment of COVID-19.
Maintaining that the tablet had been approved after proper clinical trials, he said that it would be useful in treating asymptomatic, mild and moderate COVID-19 patients as the same is purely organic and will not have any side effects.
He appealed to the public to come up with constructive criticisms and encourage the work of health and frontline workers rather than just pointing out mistakes and taking up negative propaganda in this crucial hour of the pandemic.
Maintaining that saving precious lives of the people is the priority of the Government, he further urged people not to believe in misleading information regarding the pandemic and to get vaccinated at the earliest.
He urged the public to be more careful and follow Covid-Appropriate Behaviours and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the Government from time to time to prevent infection from the new variant.
He stressed on the need for the public to be more responsible and even to not go to public spaces until he or she gets vaccinated.
The Chief Minister added that the State Government had been taking up all the necessary measures to curb the spread of the pandemic and also sought support of all the stakeholders in the fight against Covid pandemic.
It may be mentioned that Union Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge) Kiren Rijiju had earlier launched the AYUSH-64 on May 7 this year for Nationwide distribution campaign for benefit of the vast majority of out-of-hospital COVID-19 patients.
The Ministry of AYUSH in collaboration with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) had also recently completed a robust Multi Centre Clinical Trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of AYUSH-64 in the management of mild to moderate COVID-19 patients.  It was found that AYUSH-64 reduces the duration for clinical recovery in terms of diseases, symptoms and severity.
Agriculture Minister O Lukhoi, Education Minister S Rajen; Advisor to Chief Minister (Health) Dr Sapam Ranjan; Deputy Chairman, Manipur State Planning Board L Rameshwor; Chairman, MANIREDA Ginsuanhau; Chairman, LDA L Susindro; MLA, Kshetrigao AC Nahakpam Indrajit; MLA, Wangjing Tentha AC Paonam Brojen; Principal Secretary V Vumlunmang and Director, AYUSH Y Lukhoi also attended the programme among others.