TURA, April 29: The number of deaths from the latest wave of Covid-19 continues to rise with a second person from south Garo Hills losing his life to the virus on Thursday.
A coal exporter stationed at Gasuapara export point of South Garo Hills, located on the border with Bangladesh, died while being taken for treatment to Dalu CHC hospital in West Garo Hills. He was later found positive with the virus.
The victim, Dhaneswar Debarma of Tripura (35 years) had been ailing for some time and complained of chest pain with weakness. He was also yet to be vaccinated against Covid.
As his condition deteriorated he was rushed to the nearest medical centre in Dalu but lost his life before medical health could reach him. He is the second person from the district to die of Covid in less than three days.
Earlier, on Monday night, 26 year old Sahip Sangma of Karukol in Siju-Rewak area lost his life to the virus while undergoing treatment at Tura Civil Hospital.
Following this latest death in the district, a micro containment zone was put in place in Gasuapara export area to begin the process of contact tracing. During the contact tracing two other workers, both males, were found positive with the virus.
Meanwhile, the travel history of the Gasuapara victim revealed that he arrived in Garo Hills on April 15th and passed through Bajengdoba entry point during the night, taking advantage of the fact that there was no checking or testing for Covid upon entry.
The glaring loopholes towards checking and testing at entry points during the crucial period when the second wave began to strike is now beginning to unfold by way of rising positive cases and mounting casualties that now seem to target victims no longer aged but in the prime of their lives.