SHILLONG/NONGPOH: A 70-year-old man from Umsning, Ri-Bhoi has tested positive for COVID-19 without any travel history but uncertainty remains over the possibility of community transmission.
Informing this, DHS (MI) Dr Aman War said the patient was admitted at Dr. H. Gordon Roberts Hospital, Shillong on Sunday and he was tested positive on Tuesday.
This is the first case from Ri Bhoi district.
The DHS, however, downplayed the comparison of the case with the earlier case of Bethany Hospital saying that Roberts Hospital has been identified as a facility to cater to COVID-19 cases and accordingly the hospital took due care in segregating the patients.
“There was no mingling of the staff looking after the patient with the general staff and there was no mixing of even the attendants of the patient,” he said.
Stating that the contact tracing of the patient has been done, War added that the patient has 13 high-risk contacts in Ri Bhoi followed by 20 low-risk contacts.
The patient also has 16 high-risk and two low-risk contacts in East Khasi Hills and samples have been taken from all of his contacts.
As three more returnees tested positive, he said that the total number of active cases in the state now has gone upto 29.
The three more residents, who returned to the state from Delhi and Chennai are under quarantine and asymptomatic.
Admitting that the 70-year-old patient did not have any travel history, War said the people who came in contact with him, may have a travel history even as it was informed that the patient will be tested again for COVID-19 after 5 days.
The department is also going to test the son-in-law of the patient, who is a truck driver.
He returned to the state from outside in April or May.
Community transmission downplayed
The DHS said the case cannot be referred as community transmission.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma asserted that the person had a respiratory problem.
To a query about the individual’s travel history and whether this is the first case of community transmission, the chief minister said that it is wrong to draw such conclusion as the contact tracing is on and facts are being ascertained.
The chief minister said that anyone from his family could have a travel history if not him and he requested the people not to panic as the government is following all the required protocols.
Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner RM Kurbah said all the family members of the infected person, who have been tested, will be under home quarantine.
“Contact tracing was also conducted immediately so as to prevent any further spread of the disease”, she said.
Kurbah also assured the people that the district administration, along with the Health department, is taking all necessary steps and preventive measures.
