N-E states report a sharp rise in cases

GUWAHATI: There has been a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases in the northeast with the region reporting over 2,100 infections until Tuesday. Assam, the most populous of the region’s seven states, has reported the bulk of these cases (1,500). The other six smaller states have also recorded a significant increase in the cases over the last few days and officials have called easing of interstate movement since last month the prime factor for the jump.

The region reported the first Covid-19 case on March 24 when a 23-year-old woman was tested positive in Manipur after her return from the UK. The region had reported 103 cases until May 5.

On Monday, Assam’s tally was 1,486, which included 1,337 patients, who have returned to the state since May 4.

“The surge in positive cases is because of the homecoming of our residents from other states. Nearly 800 of the new cases are of those who returned from Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Delhi,” Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday.

Tripura recorded the highest single-day spike on Monday when 107 people were diagnosed with the disease and took the state’s tally to 421 cases. The 421 included 166 Border Security Force personnel and their family members. Until May 5, the state had 42 cases.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga said of the 12 new cases in the state, 10 had returned from Delhi and two from Kolkata. The state had recorded just one case prior to that.

A 50-year-old pastor diagnosed with the disease in Mizoram on March 24 was discharged from a hospital following his recovery on May 9.

Nagaland reported six new cases on Tuesday and with this, the state’s tally went up to 49. The first Covid-19 cases in the state were detected on May 25 when three persons returned from Chennai and were found to be infected.

Meghalaya had 13 cases until May 5, all of them connected to one family in Shillong. Two weeks later, one person who returned from Chennai was tested positive. The state’s tally now stands at 28 cases.

Manipur did not have an active Covid-19 case on May 5 after the first two people diagnosed with the disease in the state had recovered. The state now has 83 cases.

Arunachal Pradesh was Covid-19 free on May 5 with the lone patient’s recovery in April. On Monday, the state recorded 16 new cases and took its tally to 22.

THE REGION REPORTED THE FIRST CASE ON MARCH 24 WHEN A 23-YEAR-OLD WOMAN TESTED POSITIVE IN MANIPUR AFTER HER RETURN FROM THE UK