Sikkim reports 23 new COVID-19 cases, 3 more fatalities

Gangtok: Sikkim on Monday reported three new COVID-19 related deaths, taking the total number of fatalities to 141 in the state. Of the 141 COVID-19 related deaths, five were reported in the last five days.

On Sunday, EastMojo reported the death of a 87-year-old man from 6th Mile, Tadong in Gangtok. Later, it was learnt that the death occurred around 11.30 am on Sunday. He was admitted to the STNM Hospital on April 22 with comorbidities like hypertension and diabetes. The death has now been accounted as the 139th COVID casualty and the same was declared by the state’s health department on Monday. The cremation was done earlier in the day.

Around 3.30 am on Monday, a 69-year-old woman from Jalipool near Gangtok succumbed to COVID-19. She had no co-morbidities but had psychiatric issues and was under medication. When a CT scan was conducted on her, the STNM Hospital authorities learnt that she had COVID pneumonitis. Her cremation was done as per protocol.

A case of death on arrival was also reported at STNM Hospital. The patient was being brought from Namchi District Hospital on Sunday. The person tested COVID-19 positive on RAT in Namchi and was referred to STNM Hospital. The person was brought to STNM around 1 pm on Sunday. The person was not even admitted to the Hospital’s COVID section. He was in his early 60s, but his comorbidities could not be ascertained as he had to be rushed to the mortuary of the hospital.

On Sunday, another death was reported in a late night health bulletin, when a 60-year-old man from Arithang in Gangtok was brought to the emergency ward of STNM Hospital and later declared dead. The person was found COVID-19 positive on RAT, and was hence accounted as the 138th COVID casualty in the state.

Also read: Sikkim: Vaccinated tourists sans RT-PCR to undergo paid quarantine

Meanwhile, there has been a rapid surge of COVID-19 cases in the state with 23 new cases reported on Monday. With this, the total tally of COVID-19 cases went up to 7,329 so far. In April alone, Sikkim reported 1,096 COVID-19 cases so far. There are 928 active cases in the state with 20 recoveries being reported on Monday.

No RT-PCR tests were conducted on Sunday; however, 14 tests were conducted on CBNAT-TRUENAT, in which three tested positive. Up to 81 Rapid Antigen Tests were conducted on Sunday, of which 20 new positive cases were reported.

East Sikkim once again recorded the most number of COVID-19 cases at 15 on Monday. Up to 832 new cases have been reported in the district alone in April so far. Cumulatively, the district accounts for 5,554 cases till now.

South Sikkim recorded four new cases on Monday taking the district tally to 1,114 so far. Up to 123 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the past 21 days. West Sikkim recorded three new COVID-19 cases, taking the district’s tally to 404.

North Sikkim recorded a single COVID-19 case on Monday, taking the district’s tally to 89. The district had a respite for the past two days when no new cases were reported. The district now accounts for 33 COVID-19 cases so far.