The Nagaland health and family welfare department on Thursday rejected the rumours on social media that a coronavirus infected person was admitted to the Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK).
The state health department termed the rumours as ‘absolutely false’.
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The principal director of the health and family welfare department, Dr Vizolie Soukhrie, said no COVID-19 case has been reported in Nagaland so far.
He said the state has not yet encountered any suspected case nor any sample has been sent for confirmation.
The department appealed to the public to refrain from posting false and fabricated information related to COVID-19 or coronavirus on social media.
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The department said it can be contacted at phone numbers 7005415243, 9856071745 and 7005536953 for any queries and verification.
State health and family welfare minister S. Pangnyu Phom took to Twitter clarifying that “some rumors are spreading regarding admission of a COVID-19 patient in NHAK. Please stand verified that the news feed is absolutely false & baseless.”
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He said the state health department is monitoring the situation closely and will inform the citizens on any developments.
“This is to inform all concerned that a circulation that a COVID-19 patient has been admitted at the isolation ward of Naga Hospital Kohima is false and should be treated as fake news,” a message reportedly from the NHAK authority said.
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The clarifications came after rumours spread on social media that a woman had tested positive for the virus and was being kept in isolation at NHAK.
Phom, during a press conference on February 18, said all precautionary measures possible, as prescribed by the World Health Organisation, have been put in place in Nagaland to deal with any case related to COVID-19.
The state has set aside 52 beds as isolation wards in the state government-run and military hospitals in all the districts, he said.
On rumours that the people can be infected from goods coming from affected countries, Phom said there is no available evidence, as of now, to prove that the virus can spread through imported items.
“We are taking all precautionary measures. And there are also stories about transmission from animals to humans but there is no credible evidence to prove as of now,” said Phom
“We have given out all advisories that if anyone has some doubt, the person can self declare via the numbers or email provided,” he added.
The state health department has asked any person with travel history to China or the affected countries to “self declare” or to reach them through these contacts 7005415243, 9856071745, 7005539653 or email: [email protected]