Tripura: All 17 Close Contacts of First COVID-19 Patient Test 'Negative' for Virus

Agartala, April 9, 2020:

It has now been confirmed that all the 17 close contacts of the 35-year-old Tripura woman who tested positive for the novel coronavirus have tested 'negative' for the virus.

Confirming this via Twitter late last night, Tripura CM Biplab Deb wrote, "Total 17 people who were in close contact with the COVID-19 patient of Tripura have been tested to be negative after two-times testing. All of them are still under surveillance in quarantine. I urge everyone to co-operate with the government and not to panic. If you need any assistance, please contact with the Government. We are working round the clock to ensure safety of every citizen. Stay Home Stay Safe and maintain social distancing. Together we shall overcome this pandemic."

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Speaking to this reporter today, state disease surveillance officer Dr Deep Debbarma said that nine of the total 17 swab samples went inappropriate due to some technical issues. “In the first lot, the health department collected swab samples of not less than 17 close contacts of the patient", he said.

"The close contacts have been defined as those who spend more than five days in direct contact with the patient. In the first test, 9 samples show no results. Later, another test has been conducted which showed no infection in all of the samples”, Debbarma said.

The first case is a 35-year-old woman who is a resident of Gakulnagar in Udaipur under West Tripura district. The case was confirmed on April 6.

Debbarma has confirmed to Inside Northeast that 5 more people having travel history to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation tested positive in different parts of the country.

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“A four member group tested positive at Shamali area of Uttar Pradesh, who went there after participating in the religious congregation of Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz. One more tested positive at Delhi, taking the total toll of corona infected people from Tripura to 8. All of them are under treatment”, said Debbarma.

It is to be mentioned here that two from the state had tested positive for the virus in Rajasthan’s Bikaner. They were both attendees of the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in New Delhi held in March last.

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He said that the overall COVID-19 situation was discussed and some important decisions were taken in a meeting of the State-Level Task Force chaired by Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb yesterday. Meanwhile,The state government has also decided to provide one-time financial assistance of Rs. 1000 to 8666 street vendors in view of the lockdown.

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