The Mizoram government has decided to form a research team, which will comprise of medical experts and scientists, to conduct a scientific study and research on the second wave of COVID-19, an official statement said.
The meeting of officials from health, disaster management and rehabilitation departments, police officers and representatives of Zoram Medical College (ZMC), Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Non-Government Hospital Association presided over by health minister Dr Lalthangliana has decided to form a research team to conduct an in-depth study and assessment of the “second wave” as the present COVID-19 spread came in different forms and brought certain nature or unusual cases, which were unfamiliar and not experienced in the state during the first wave of the pandemic, the statement said.
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The proposed research team will comprise a group of experts from Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), IMA, ZMC and Mizoram University (MZU), it said.
Lalthangliana told the meeting that an in-depth scientific study and research of the second wave of COVID-19 is required as it is completely different from the first wave.
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“A scientific study on the nature of the second wave is crucial to devise measure and know our future course of action to tackle the pandemic,” he said.
He said that several unusual or strange cases were found among the COVID-19 positive cases detected during the second wave of pandemic.
The second wave also brought different features, which were never witnessed during the pandemic last year, he added.
According to a report given by police contact tracing team at the meeting, COVID-19 positive cases were reported from 65 villages or localities in all the 11 districts between 1 May and 14 May.
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Among them, Chhinga Veng in Aizawl has reported the highest COVID-19 cases at 179, followed by Aizawl’s Bethlehem Vengthlang and Tlabung town in Lunglei district, which reported 119 and 108 cases respectively.
The infection rate was highest among youths in the age group of 21 – 30 years as at least 587 people under this age group were found infected with COVID-19 during May 1 to May 14, it said.
Besides, 249 children below 10 years, 13 elderly people of above 80 years, 113 people in the age group of 61-80 years and 352 in the age group of 11-20 years have also tested positive for COVID-19 during the same period, it said.
According to state nodal officer of IDSP Dr. Pachuau Lalmalsawma, as many as 4023 COVID-19 cases were reported from first April to May 14, of which 1,173 people have travel history and the rest were found to have locally contracted the infection.