Coronavirus: 127 People in Assam Quarantined for Contact with 'Tested Positive' US Tourist

Guwahati, March 7, 2020:

It has come to light that at least 127 people in Assam came in contact with Mr Hewitt, the American tourist who was later tested positive for coronavirus in neighboring country Bhutan. The US tourist had spent a few days in Assam and took a seven-day Brahmaputra river cruise before leaving to Bhutan.

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Talking to Inside Northeast, Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika said, "Contact tracing has revealed that at least 127 people came in contact with the US tourist who has tested positive for coronavirus...he was in Assam for a fairly long time. Now, all these people have been put in quarantine. Moreover, they have have been urged to self-identify if they start exhibiting any of the symptoms associated with the virus. We will then give them isolation wards..."

Reporting the stats of the people who are being kept under observation for possible signs of an infection. The contacts of the person have been pegged in the the MV Mahabahu cruise, that the coronavirus carrier was travelling in, reportedly for a week, to soak in the sights of Assam. At least 24 persons who could have had close contact have also been identified at Hotel Raddison Blu in Guwahati where the aged tourist was staying.

Dozens of people have also been identified in LGBI Airport in Guwahati, from where he boarded a flight to Paro Airport in Bhutan.

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It has also come to light that the patient visited Jorhat in Assam before reaching Guwahati.

"We have tracked his stay on 22nd February to Thengal Manor. The staff of Thengal Manor have been placed in isolation and a health team will be monitoring their status daily. They are all asymptomatic", said Roshni Korati, the DC of Jorhat.

In the meantime, the river cruise MV Mahabahu Brahmaputra has returned to Neematighat, Jorhat. The cruise has 22 guests and 29 crew members. All have been placed in isolation in the boat itself, presently stationed at Neematighat. A team of doctors and health workers are monitoring the health status of the persons in the cruise.

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