Breaking: Tripura Reports First Positive Case of COVID-19

Agartala, April 6, 2020:

Amid the number of skyrocketing cases across India, the State of Tripura has recorded its first positive case of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19. The first case is a 35-year-old woman who is a resident of Gakulnagar in Udaipur under West Tripura district. Overall, this is the 31st case of the novel coronavirus in the Northeast Indian states.

Confirming this via Twitter earlier today, Tripura CM Biplab Deb said, "First COVID19 positive case detected at Tripura. The patient is from Udaipur. Don't Panic, we are taking proper care of the patient. Stay Home Stay Safe."

Inside Northeast has received information that the woman was tested positive at the AGMC Hospital in Agartala around 8:30 pm today.

Now, the district administration has begun contact tracing to ascertain that all those who came in contact with her -- including doctors and nurses -- are tested for the virus.

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.

In addition, state disease surveillance officer Dr Deep 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.

"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.

Two tested positive at Rajasthan’s Bikaner whereas one tested positive at Delhi. All of them had participated the Jamaat. However, in Tripura altogether 223 samples have been tested so far. 115 people had been shifted to institutional quarantine and 2,443 persons are in home quarantine", he added.

According to Dr Deep Debbarma, 3 of the persons who had been tested positive hail from Sonamura sub-division, 1 hails from Melagarh sub-division, 2 from Ramnagar of Agartala, and 2 from Belonia subdivision.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb who also holds the health portfolio, asked the people who had visited Nizamuddin to disclose their identity. Otherwise, Deb said, strict actions would be taken, Health Secretary Debabsish Basu informed us.

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