The medical directorate of Manipur on Saturday reviewed the COVID-19 situation in the State.

This was informed in a press release issued by additional director and spokesperson Dr Khoirom Sasheekumar Mangang of the Health department.

Stating that the medical directorate is regularly monitoring availability of the essential medicines, the release from the COVID-19 common control room said, there were some reports of shortage of hydroxychloroquine for patients of systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Rhumatoid Arthritis (RA) and other conditions.

Informing that 15000 tablets have reached Manipur through a private transporter, the press release which was made available to media on Saturday evening, said these will be issued by their identified retailers on the prescriptions of registered medical practitioners.

Two new COVID-19 testing machines namely one fully automated nucleic acid extraction system (QI Acute) and a real time PRC (Rotor Gene Q 5 Plex HRM) have been installed at Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences.

Meanwhile two individuals were tested for COVID-19 at the testing centre of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) in Imphal on Saturday and they are tested negative.

Nineteen more samples are under process for testing at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and the results are likely to be available early Sunday, it added.

It may be mentioned that the first COVID-19 case was reported on March 24 while the second case on April 2.

Since then the first case was sent for treatment at isolation ward of JNIMS hospital while the second at RIMS hospital.

After giving treatment, the first case has improved and the doctors attending the patient informed the media that discussion have started to discharge the patient while the condition of the second case is stated to be stable.

Meanwhile, many residents came out to buy essentials items particularly the vegetables, fruits, and groceries during the different relaxation hours of the ongoing curfew and lockdown in view of the ester Sunday and Cheiraoba in various parts of State on Saturday following government directive.

The state police has hard time in controlling the situation mainly in the around Imphal city to maintain the certain procedures.