Correspondent
ITANAGAR, Feb 28: Arunachal Pradesh has become a COVID-free state with the three active cases recovering from the disease.
The state achieved this feat on Saturday with the discharge of the three remaining active cases (all from Namsai district) following their recovery from the infection, stated a bulletin issued by the State Directorate of Health Services. This came after the first case was detected at Tezu in Lohit district on April 2 last year.
Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Pema Khandu tweeted: “Very happy to inform that the number of active COVID cases in Arunachal has become zero. Proud of Team Arunachal and all citizens, CBOs and others who worked tirelessly.” Khandu, however, cautioned all by saying, “But let’s not lower our guard and continue to be vigilant.”
Of the total 16,836 COVID-19 cases in the state, 16,780 have been cured with a recovery rate at 99.66 per cent, while 56 persons have succumbed to the virus with a fatality rate of 0.33 per cent.
As many as 312 samples were tested for COVID-19 on Saturday but no positive case was detected. A total of 4,05,647 samples have been tested in the state till date.
Meanwhile, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar has directed the Department of Health and Family Welfare to find ways to increase vaccination in low-coverage districts in a meeting of the State Steering Committee for Immunisation (SSCI) held recently. The directions came after it was reported that some districts are going slow in terms of COVID-19 vaccination coverage. These districts include Papumpare (Rural), Kamle, Lower Dibang Valley, Upper Subansiri, Kurung Kumey and Longding.
