imphal as many as 16 people including 15 women tested positive for the novel coronavirus at the virus research and diagnostic laboratories of rims and jnims hospitals in imphal in the last 24 hours taking the total number of cases in the state to 1609during the same time 53 persons were also discharged from various covid care centres meitram in imphal west churachandpur kakching senapati ukhrul and covid care facilities of rims and jnims after tested negative a state health department statement read hailing from chandel imphal east kakching kangpokpi and senapati districts the newly infected persons would be shifted to covid care facilities for treatment and all necessary precautionary measures like contact tracing and containment have been taken up to combat the virsus spread the statement addedstating that wearing masks is a very effective nonmedical way to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease the health department appealed to the people to wear it when they speak to their colleagues friends and relatives and whenever they are going out of their houseswith this the total number of recovered cases stand at 896 and active cases at 713 the statement said adding that the recovery rate is 5568on the other hand health minister langpoklakpam jayantakumar singh on sunday opened a 100bed covid care centre at thoubal district