Spike in COVID-19 cases across Titabar hamlets and tea-gardens

A CORRESPONDENT

TITABAR: Of late, there has been a steep rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the rural and tea-garden areas of Titabar. As on date, the ground situation is quite alarming. A sub-division of Jorhat, Titabar is already a 'Red' district, with 24-hour curfew imposed across the sub-division since July 7. The overall COVID-19 situation in Titabar is quite grim.

Unlike last year during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the second wave has made deep inroads into the rural and also the tea garden areas. A total of 470 active cases have been registered under Titabar BPHC area while 93 patients are undergoing treatment in the Titabar BPHC COVID Care Centre that includes 14 children. So far, the toll tally due to the infection during the second wave in Titabar is 24.

Of the 20 Containment Zones, eight are in the tea garden areas. Among the worst-affected tea gardens are the Tea Estates (TEs) of Tairun, Dholi, and Mejenga; Among the pandemic-engulfed rural areas are Bogar Gaon, Birina Sayek Bhoroluwa, Dakhin Sonari Gaon and Nagabat Hukanjan.

Though there is a slight improvement in the town area yet the positivity rate still hovers around 7%.

However in the last couple of days, the positivity rate in the rural and tea-garden areas has been alarmingly in the double digit. The numbers of COVID-19 cases in the rural and tea Garden areas could be much higher than the official figures because of the comparatively low testing rates and people's reluctance to get tested, to begin with, informed sources.

Till date, altogether 38,768 persons have taken the first jab of the anti-COVID vaccine. That is barely 30% of the total population. Thus attaining herd immunity through vaccination is still a far cry. Moreover, vaccination for the population below 18, which turned out to be more vulnerable during the second wave, a vaccine is yet to be invented. Thus safety measures like wearing masks, sanitization, and staying indoors till constitute the first line of defence against the pandemic. The Sub-divisional administration has recently taken some proactive steps like the tightening the restrictions, foot march by police/paramilitary forces and officials of the civil administration, awareness drives through announcements, among other measures.

Furthermore, the administration has intensified its drives against the illicit breweries of spurious 'sulai,' or country spirit, which have been identified as hotspots of COVID19. In the crackdown thousands of litres of "Sulai" have reportedly been destroyed. On Tuesday, the authorities destroyed 3,200 litres and 2,000 litres of illicit liquor in areas under Titabar and Borhola Police Stations respectively.

Hopefully, through mass-vaccination drives and with active co-operation from the public in following the COVID protocols, and perhaps with some out-of-the box measures like "fever survey", the situation will soon be under control, feel concerned circles here.

Also Read: 2,046 new COVID cases detected across Assam, positivity rate 1.54%

Also watch: