Manipur: Power Supply disconnected from testing center, COVID warriors working under mobile phone torch

IMPHAL: Although the COVID-19 has emerged as a major threat across the world with the death toll surging each day, personnel fighting the disease are yet to get the respect that they deserve. In Northeast India's Manipur, a number of COVID-19 fighters have been compelled to perform their duties under the lights of mobile phone torch!

In a shocking state of affairs, Health workers fighting the virus in the Changangei Community center, tasked with screening flight passengers, are now working with light from their cell phone. This is because the power supply of the Community Center has been disconnected by the Local club's members, who apparently do not want testings to be conducted in the area. At this particular centre, testings for the virus have been going on for around 2 months.

It has been alleged that the local club's members are not cooperating due to the stigma associated with the virus and have been accused of locking up the toilet of the community center at times, causing major distress to the COVID warriors.

"We're corona fighters, but even the club has disconnected lights. They don't want to support it. As such, we have to perform our duties with mobile phone torch. It's very very unfortunate," a health worker working at the center said, expressing his woes.

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During the last few weeks, the number of COVID-19 positive cases has skyrocketed in Manipur -- the numbers have been raising at a steady and alarming rate. Due to the ongoing pandemic situation, the Manipur Government has tasked its officials with keeping the virus at bay.

Screening of arriving passengers through airlines is among the most important step to control the import of this virus. As a result, many Health workers are working 24x7 to help in the screening of the arrived passengers at the airport in the State.

The cumulative number of active COVID-19 cases in Manipur is 3,068 out of which 2,831 are general people and 237 are Central Security Personnel. The recovery rate is 84.68 %. On Friday, 4 more people succumbed to the disease, while 255 recoveries were reported.

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