With the sudden spurt of COVID-19 cases in several countries, the Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to gear up operational readiness in the state and maintain strict vigil by enhancing surveillance activities including, early detection, isolation, testing, and timely management of suspected and confirmed cases.

Chief Secretary Dharmendra in a notification has directed all districts to prioritize the detection and containment of outbreaks of new SARs-CoV-2 variants and micro-containment measures as and where needed. The district health authorities were directed to review preparedness in terms of incident command centres, Covid health facilities, oxygen beds, ICUs including paediatric care units, oxygen concentrators, ventilators, testing kits, rapid response teams, access to ambulances and stock of essential medicines.

The order also directed the districts to ensure samples of all positive cases are sent to the designated INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories (IGSLs) that are mapped to respective states and union territories, on a daily basis.

The decision was taken after a detailed discussion by the State Health Task Force (SHTF) on the present global and national COVID-19 situation in pursuance of meetings convened at the highest levels by the Centre to take stock of the recent global surge in Covid cases, the chief secretary said in the order. The SHTF has recommended certain public health measures to control and combat any possible surge in COVID-19 cases in the state with immediate effect.

Accordingly, all citizens are advised to adhere to Covid-appropriate behaviour in public spaces like wearing masks, maintaining physical distance, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, the order stated. All unvaccinated and vaccinated with first dose of Covid vaccine persons are encouraged to take vaccines as per age-specific guidelines issued by the Centre, for which Covid vaccination sessions to continue to be operational in all health facilities soon.

The Har Ghar Dastak and Har School Dastak will continue to be implemented in mission mode in the state, the order added. Arunachal Pradesh at present has no active COVID-19 case, while the northeastern state had reported 66,890 positive cases including 296 deaths.?