NONGSTOIN: One of the localities in Upper New Nongstoin was put under lockdown on Wednesday after a woman, who was an attendant to a patient in Civil Hospital Shillong and who also happens to be a resident of Upper New Nongstoin, was tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday.
It was learnt that the attendant, before she was tested positive, had met her brother in Shillong, who later returned to Nongstoin.
It was only after the woman testing positive that fear started looming large on the area while some locals even started accusing the brother of carrying the virus. However, the brother of the patient on Wednesday underwent a COVID-19 test in Shillong, and the result is now awaited.
The head of the locality on Wednesday decided to impose lockdown in the area, directing the residents to stay at their homes until the test result is announced.
Meanwhile, West Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner has urged the residents, head of the locality and the village elders to not create panic among the people, which, he said, will lead to the stigmatisation of the patient’s family.
The DC also said that the patient’s brother, who came to Nongstoin earlier, is only the primary contact and not a COVID-19 patient, at least until the results are declared.
