Coronavirus: 111 Samples Collected from Guwahati Residents after First Positive Case, Confirms Health Minister

Guwahati, April 4, 2020:

Assam Health and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday announced that 111 samples have been collected from the close contacts of Manish Tinriwal, the first man from Guwahati city who was tested positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19) last night.

Addressing the media here earlier today, he said, "Yesterday, there were no cases, but several cases were detected in the evening, and in total, 5 more cases have been detected. Of the 5 new cases, 4 have connections to the Nizamuddin Dargah episode." Yesterday, Manish Tibriwal a resident of Spanish Garden in Zoo Road tested positive for the coronavirus and last night, a team comprising the Health Minister and Principal Secretary, had discussions with his wife and promptly shifted him to the hospital for treatment, Sarma informed.

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150 flats in Spanish Garden occupied by residents. Common facilities were used by all. On March 1, he came from Delhi, Sarma said, adding that he had likely picked up the virus from communications and interactions with locals in Guwahati as 28 days had elapsed since his return from Delhi.

"111 people have been identified as his contacts and samples have been collected from all. Will continue till tomorrow night. Some have been kept in home quarantine and some have been shifted to the Kahilipara Kalapahar IDSP Quarantine Centre. Some have been taken to a quarantine facility in Nagaon, since the family went there", Sarma further informed.

For the next 14 days, nobody can go in or come out of the 'Spanish Garden' and 3-4 people have been assigned to distribute essentials to the families, the Health Minister informed the press.

This containment regulation must be followed by one and all, Sarma said, adding that since 'Spanish Garden' lies in the heart of the city, there could be a transmission across the city if the rules are violated.

"Although initially he had some health complication, he is doing fine now, said Sarma", addressing the Guwahati patient's health condition.

Another case was detected Bamunigaon Boko Chaygaon Model Hospital. Mofizuddin 34, who was in quarantine, has tested positive. He was a Nizamuddin Markaz Tabligh attendee. Locals intimated the Government about the case and he has been shifted to the MMCH hospital in Guwahati for treatment, Sarma said.

In Marigaon, Jamia Khatun who was quarantined at Sarusajai after her husband was positive earlier, tested positive and is being treated in Sonapur. Ashraf Ali from South Salmara got tested voluntarily after attending the Jamaat meet and was shifted to the MMCH after his result was positive.

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Babul Ali from North Lakhimpur became the first patient from Assam who tested coronavirus positive at the Dibrugarh ICMR facility . "Came to know that Babul Ali had participated in the Jamaat, locals had informed us via the 104 helpline." Subsequently, he has been kept in an isolation bed of the Lakhimpur Civil Hospital. Earlier, a man from Arunachal Pradesh's Tezu had tested positive for the contagion at the facility.

Till now, 1,529 samples have been tested for the coronavirus, Sarma said. "Out of these, 1,308 samples have been declared as negative. 25 are positive, and 196 results awaited".

Nizamuddin incident has taken on a dramatic turn, Sarma said, and added that 812 samples have been tested and 24 are positive. 636 are in quarantine, and they will be tested again. 152 results are still awaited, Sarma said, further making an appeal to the organizers of the congregation to disclose the actual number of people who had attended.

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