9 june

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Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com

Vol XXXI No. 183

DIMAPUR, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2021 Pages 12 ` 5.00

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international, Page 9

Lockdown may continue with some relaxations

Correspondent

KOHIMA, JUN 8 (NPN): While the High Powered Committee (HPC) is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to review the current total Lockdown which will end on June 11, there are indications that it might be extended further but mostly likely, with certain relaxations. It has been learnt that while representatives of two districts had sought relaxations, representatives of the remaining districts have suggested extension of the lockdown as Covid cases were lately being reported from rural areas. The HPC is scheduled to hold video conferencing with all District Task Forces (DTFs) during Wednesday’s meeting. At video conferencing, the Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) department officials is to also present a ground report and observations obtained across the state. After reports of new

covid cases were reported from rural areas which are spiking up, highly placed sources told Nagaland Post that the State government was most likely not going to expose the rural areas by lifting the lockdown. As reported earlier, the rural areas of the state, excepting Kohima and Dimapur and to some extent Mokokchung, are unprepared to tackle the situation, in the event of significant rise in Covid positive cases. Some of the hospitals in rural districts are not only short of medical staff but also do not have oxygen concentrators or ICUs. This was earlier revealed in a comprehensive report issued by the opposition NPF through a press statement. The other area that is considered as pre-requirement is for mass vaccinations across Nagaland so as too provide a protective herd immunity. However, given the State’s population,

even vaccination rate is very low at the moment. Medical practitioners have repeatedly reminded that unless mass vaccination is ramped up and continuous testing undertaken, efforts to check further spread of the virus won’t be achieved early.

Some medical doctors working in private and government hospitals also disclosed that as recovery rate of Covid positive patients was very low and death rate due to covid and comorbidities high, the best way to prevent fatalities due to

Covid, was to vaccinate as many people as possible to check its spread. Meanwhile, daily records of new covid cases in Kohima and Dimapur districts has been showing some a decline.

Chhetri surpasses Messi’s international goals sports, Page 12

Avoid large gatherings for a couple of months: Centre

NEW DELHI, JUN 8 (PTI): Centre on Tuesday stressed on avoiding large gatherings for a couple of months and following Covid-19-appropriate be(Cont’d on p-8) haviour to avert any future wave, even as it noted that there has been a continued and sharp decline in daily new coronavirus cases in COVID-19 STATUS AS ON June 8, 2021 the country. ACTIVE CASES In a joint press briefSymptomatic Non Covid ing on the pandemic situaDeaths MiSevere AsModRecovTotal District ympDeath with graterate tion, Health Ministry Joint ICU ICU ered Cases Covid 19 ed tom- Mild On On (without (On Secretary Lav Agarwal said Positivity atic Oxy- Oxy- ventila- ventialmost 79 per cent decline in gen gen tor) lator Dimapur 1999 109 30 16 16 7 8939 286 10 479 11890 daily new COVID-19 cases 6 Kiphire 24 5 0 0 0 103 4 0 1 142 has been noted since the Kohima 1477 13 3 8 0 2 5333 70 0 98 7004 peak on May 7. There has Longleng 6 16 3 1 0 0 87 0 2 10 125 been a continued and sharp Mokokchung 381 9 3 8 0 0 431 21 0 30 883 decline in daily new cases, Mon 80 2 2 0 0 0 794 5 2 15 901 he said on the second wave Peren 14 1 0 0 0 0 558 0 0 2 575 of COVID-19. Phek 66 0 5 1 1 0 225 13 0 1 311 India reported less than Tuensang 187 12 6 0 0 0 453 4 0 2 664 Wokha 77 1 3 1 0 0 90 3 0 4 180 one lakh new coronavirus Zunheboto 54 17 4 0 0 0 283 12 0 5 376 infections after a gap of 63 Total 4365 186 64 35 17 9 17296 418 14 647 23051 days, while the daily positaking the death toll to 432 deaths but with Covid posi- tivity rate dropped to 4.62 per cent, according to the including 14 non-Covid tivity.

Avoid large gatherings and stay safe from COVID-19

Covid caseload breaches 23k-mark, 3 deaths DIMAPUR, JUN 8 (NPN): Nagaland’s total Covid caseload breach the 23,000 mark on Tuesday after 133 fresh Covid-19 positive cases were reported while three more patients succumbed to the infection. Of the fresh cases, 36 were from Dimapur, Mokokchung-28, Wokha27, Kohima-16, eight from Mon, seven from Phek, five from Longleng and three each in Kiphire and Zunheboto, taking the total caseload to 23051. Dimapur for the first time recorded nil deaths while Kohima registered two deaths and one in Mon,

Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday. A single day rise of 86,498 cases were registered, the lowest in 66 days, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,89,96,473. The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,51,309 with 2,123 daily deaths, the lowest in 47 days, the data updated at 8 am showed. A total of 81,466 new cases were recorded in a span of 24 hours on April 2. Also, 18,73,485 tests were conducted on Monday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detec-

tion of COVID-19 in the country to 36,82,07,596. The daily positivity rate has dropped to 4.62 per cent. It has been less than 10 per cent for 15 consecutive days, the ministry said. The weekly positivity rate has declined to 5.94 per cent. The active cases reduced to 13,03,702 comprising 4.50 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 94.29 per cent. A net decline of 97,907 cases has been recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

Centre sets maximum price of No data to show kids will be seriously hit in next Covid waves: AIIMS chief vaccines for private hospitals Covishield `780 a dose, Covaxin `1410 NEW DELHI, JUN 8 (PTI): The government on Tuesday set the maximum price private hospitals can charge for the three COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the country -- Covishield Rs 780 per dose, Covaxin Rs 1,410 and Sputnik V Rs 1,145. In a letter to all states and union territories, the Health Ministry suggested that appropriate strict action be taken against private vaccination centres for overcharging. The maximum price of Covishield for private COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) has been

fixed at Rs 780 per dose, while that of Covaxin is Rs 1,410 per dose and Sputnik V Rs 1,145 per dose, it said. Health Ministry asked states to ensure that the prices declared by various private CVCs do not exceed the ceiling. Serum Institute of India sells its Covishield to private hospitals at Rs 600 per dose (excluding GST). Bharat Biotech has set the cost of Covaxin at Rs 1,200 a dose for private establishments. Both vaccines are supplied to the Centre at a cost of Rs 150 a dose. Sputnik-V is supplied to private hospitals at Rs 948 per dose. “The private hospitals may charge up to a maximum of Rupees 150 per dose as service charges. State governments may monitor the price being so charged,” the ministry said. The ministry also requested states and

union territories to regularly monitor the prices being charged by the private CVCs from the citizens. “It is also requested that wherever instances of overcharging as compared to the price declared by the CVC come to notice, appropriate strict action is taken against any such private CVCs,” it said. In an address to the nation on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre will provide free vaccine to states for inoculation of all above the age of 18 from June 21. Centre decided to buy 75% of jabs from vaccine makers for free supply to states, while private sector hospitals will continue to procure the remaining 25% but they cannot charge more than Rs 150 per dose over the pre-fixed price.

RNPC writes to HM, demands creation of RHAD DIMAPUR, JUN 8 (NPN): Rengma Naga Peoples’ Council (RNPC) Karbi Anglong, Assam has demanded immediate creation of Rengma Hills Autonomous District (RHAD) with headquarters at Phentecho by upgrading the existing Bokajan sub-division besides creation of an MLA seat reserved for the Rengmas. In a memorandum submitted to the union home minister Amit Shah, the RNPC president Solomon Rengma and general secre-

This is it!

“Arrey Bhai, I understand your idea that variety is good but just do it somewhere not here.” K Y M C

tary Chento Rengma pointed out that the indigenous Rengma Nagas have been living under the present Karbi Anglong district of Assam since time immemorial. RNPC stated Rengma Nagas have been submitting memoranda to the government for many years for creation of autonomous district for Rengmas and non-Karbis. However, the council termed as “unfortunate” that the matter has been delayed till date. RNPC also expressed

dismay that the government had recently announced signing accord with the Karbi militants with bigger packages “without taking into account the legitimate rights of the sons of the soil or the Rengmas and other communities.” It said that provision of autonomous district under the 6th Schedule of the constitution of India had “pushed the Rengmas into the dark side of democracy which the government fails to (Full text on p-6) see.”

NEW DELHI, JUN 8 (IANS): There is no data, either from India or globally, to show that children will be seriously infected in any subsequent Covid-19 waves, AIIMS Delhi, Director Dr Randeep Guleria said on Tuesday. Addressing a media briefing here, he said that “it is a piece of misinformation that subsequent waves of

the Covid-19 pandemic are going to cause severe illness in children”. Noting that 60-70% of the children who got infected and got admitted in hospitals during the second wave had either comorbidities or low immunity, Guleria said that healthy children recovered with mild illness without need for hospitalisation. He said that “Covid appropriate

behaviour is key to preventing future waves”. Explaining why pandemics return again, he said “waves normally occur in pandemics caused due to respiratory viruses; the 1918 Spanish Flu, H1N1 (swine) flu are examples”. “The second wave of 1918 Spanish Flu was the biggest, after which there was a smaller third wave,”

NPF reminds PDA to answer queries on covid expenses DIMAPUR, JUN 8 (NPN): Responding to the ruling PDA’s rejoinder, that the opposition was “hurling allegation without any authenticity”; NPF Tuesday said it was “nothing but an attempt to divert the attention of the general public.” NPF through its press bureau said its legislature wing had raised pertinent issues with facts and figures to allege misuse of fund by the PDA government on the pretext of tackling Covid-19. NPF said that the government had no answers and was evading the questions. The party said it had also raised some vital issues with data obtained from various district hospitals, CHCs and PHCs on the shortfall of the basic medical necessity in government-run hospitals. NPF said that whatever the party and the legislature wing had raised till date in the public domain, were all supported with facts and

figures. It maintained that the PDA government cannot run away without answering them, “as the matter pertains to public interest and not NPF interest.” It also asserted that the PDA government was yet to answer to five questions posed by NPF particularly as to on what ground the government will spend Rs. 30 crore on CIHSR, a private hospital, when almost all government hospitals were lacking basic facilities? NPF also claimed that other states were providing ex-gratia to the family of the deceased and also additional grants to the families of those affected besides the central grant. With Covid mortality rate on the rise in Nagaland, NPF asked what arrangement or payment has the PDA done for the people so far from its own resources or the central grant that the state received? It pointed out that the Home Ministry

issued clear directive to the state government to utilise 50% from SDRF disaster management. It therefore asked, where was 50% utilised and disappeared when no money reached the people suffering from Covid? Justifying the use of the phrase “starvation war”, NPF said there was possibility of such situation because the PDA government has not provided relief measures to the poor and needy including the daily wage earner during the lockdown and post lockdown. Taking exception to PDA asking NPF to file RTI if it wanted information, the party said it had all the required information and data and did not require any advice from the PDA on how to extract information. In the light of the above, the NPF reiterated that the PDA government should answer its queries rather than shying away from its responsibility.

said Guleria. “And as we know, SARS-Cov-2 is a respiratory virus.” Multiple waves occur when there is a susceptible population and when a large part of the population acquires immunity against the infection, “the virus becomes endemic and infection becomes seasonal like that of H1N1 that commonly spreads during monsoon

or winters”, he said. Guleria said that one of the reasons behind a wave can be human behaviour. He cautioned that “whenever cases increase, there is a fear in people and human behaviour changes”, adding that people strictly follow Covid-appropriate behaviours and non-pharmaceutical interventions help break the chain of transmission.

Rising People’s Party gets registered with ECI Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, JUN 8 (NPN): Rising People’s Party (RPP), the newly-floated regional political party, received recognition from the Election Commission of India (ECI) on June 6 and was now a registered party. Confirming this to Nagaland Post, RPP’s founding member Joel Naga asserted that the party would strive to fulfil the aspirations of Naga people yearning for change. He said it would field candidates for the 2023 Assembly elections. Joel, who was also the founding member and former chairperson of ACAUT, mentioned that while his party would fight the elections on issues, other political parties would use money power to win the elections. “Other parties will contest the elections with money, but we will fight with ideals,” he added. Asserting that RPP has been formed to fulfil the

aspirations of Naga people yearning for a change, Joel assured that the party would strive to empower young people and women, and which was one of its key objective. He said the party would be a “younger generation-oriented party” and that it would strive to create a “new Nagaland”. Lamenting that even after more than 60 years of attaining Statehood Nagaland did not have a single woman legislator in Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Joel said the newly-registered party would field women and youth as candidates in the forthcoming elections. It may be mentioned that RPP was formed and its constitution adopted on October 2, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti. Joel said the formal launch of the party would take place after Covid19 pandemic was over, adding that the names of party workers would be declared on the day of its launch.

US govt lab found it ‘plausible’ Covid-19 leaked from Wuhan laboratory: report WASHINGTON, JUN 8 (AGENCIES): A report on the origins of Covid-19 by a U.S. government national laboratory concluded that the hypothesis claiming the virus leaked from a Chinese lab in Wuhan is plausible and deserves further investigation, according to people familiar with the classified document. The study was prepared in May 2020 by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California and was drawn on by the State Department when it

conducted an inquiry into the pandemic’s origins during the final months of the Trump administration. It is attracting fresh interest in Congress now that President Biden has ordered that U.S. intelligence agencies report to him within weeks on how the virus emerged. Mr. Biden said that U.S. intelligence has focused on two scenarios— whether the coronavirus came from human contact with an infected animal or from a laboratory accident. People familiar with

the study said that it was prepared by Lawrence Livermore’s “Z Division,” which is its intelligence arm. Lawrence Livermore has considerable expertise on biological

issues. Its assessment drew on genomic analysis of the SARS-COV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, they said. Scientists analyze the genetic makeup of viruses

to try to determine how they evolved and spread in the population. Proponents on both sides of the debate over the origins of Covid-19 have cited such analysis to try to make their case. A spokeswoman for Lawrence Livermore declined to comment on the report, which remains secret. The assessment is said to have been among the first U.S. government efforts to seriously explore the hypothesis that the virus leaked from China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology along

with the dominant hypothesis that the virus spread naturally from animals to humans. Although some prominent scientists have called for a fuller probe of the lab hypothesis in recent months, many scientists still insist a natural spillover remains the most likely explanation. China’s government has repeatedly denied that the virus escaped from a Chinese laboratory and said it is cooperating fully with international efforts to find the pandemic’s origins.

Many scientists and officials from other countries dispute that Beijing has provided sufficient access and transparency in the investigation. The Wuhan Institute of Virology has also denied that the virus leaked from its facilities and said that none of its staff have tested positive for Covid-19. One person who read the document, which is dated May 27, 2020, said it made a strong case for further inquiry into the possibility the virus seeped out of the lab. (Cont’d on p-8) K Y M C


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