With the death of a 63-year-old woman, a resident of Aizawl on Monday, Mizoram hasits first Covid-19 related death since October 29 last year, Integrated Disease Surveillance Program officials said on Tuesday.
The officials said that the deceased was having comorbidities including critical and fatal illness.
Of 122 samples tested 34 people were found to be infected with Covid-19 during the last 24 hours making the total active case at 78 as of Tuesday, the officials said.
They said that 342 samples have been tested during April, out of which 82 people were found to be infected and 34 infected people have been discharged.
A high majority of those infected were having symptoms, without any travel history and were infected locally, the officials said, adding that many of them were below 15 years of age or older people.
After receipt of the results of Genome Sequencing, those infected during April, XBB.1.16.1, XBB.1.16 and XBB.1.9.1 variants of Omicron were mainly found.
They said that XBB.1.16.1 and XBB.1.16 variants are relatively new and more contagious, easily infected by younger and older people.
The two variants are different from other variants and can easily infect lower respiratory tract, they said.
A meeting on the Covid-19 situation by state health department was held in Aizawl, chaired by health minister Dr. R. Lalthangliana when the preparedness on possible surge in Coronavirus infections was deliberated.
It was reported in the meeting that National Health Mission (NHM) has made preparations for purchase on RT-PCR test kits and expensive drugs for treatment of highly critical Covid-19 patients.
It was also mentioned that Mizoram has the highest number of Covid-19 active cases among the 8 northeastern states which was attributed to better awareness among the general public who wanted to have their samples tested.
