COVID-19 case in Nagaland jumps to 9; Govt negligence takes COVID patient to Tuensang

Kohima, May 27: With the return of stranded citizens of Nagaland from other parts of the country, the State is witnessing spike in the cases of corona virus as five more persons were found positive today, taking the tally to nine.
All five are returnees from Chennai, who arrived Nagaland on May 22 last in Shramik Special Train carrying 1,328 citizens stranded in different parts of Tamil Nadu.
“Another five more returnees from Chennai tested COVID-19 positive this morning. Four are from Dimapur and one from Kohima. They all are undergoing proper medical treatment at COVID-19 hospitals in Dimapur and Kohima respectively,” was the initial post of Minister for Health and Family Welfare, S Pangnyu Phom in his tweeter message this morning.
However, in a surprise turn of events, the one positive patient mentioned by Minister to be in Kohima had already reached Tuensang along with 150 other Chennai returnees bound for Tuensang.
Subsequently, Minister Phom changed his tweeter updates saying “One inbound passenger to Tuensang, which was released yesterday from Kohima quarantine center has tested positive. His result came out this morning. Contact tracing are in process and the patient is being taken care by Tuensang Medical Team”.
As of today, he said there are 6 patients in Dimapur, 2 in Kohima and 1 at Tuensang district.
Deputy Commissioner of Tuensang district, Kumar Ramnikant said on Wednesday morning at 4:45 am, five buses carrying 151 persons all Chennai returnees from Kohima reached Sao Chang College Quarantine Centre, Tuensang, and were admitted after necessary procedures were followed.
Their samples for COVID-19 testing were taken during their three-days quarantine period at Kohima before they were sent to Tuensang and results were awaited, he said.
At 7 am, report of a person being tested positive for COVID-19 was received from the State Nodal Officer, IDSP, Kohima, he said, adding that the person was isolated at the quarantine centre and in the meanwhile the District Hospital, Tuensang, was activated as a COVID Hospital by shifting the regular patients to Urban Primary Health Centre, PHC Longpang and Polyclinic.
The person was then shifted to the COVID Hospital isolation ward and is being monitored as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
“As per the latest report, the person is stated to be asymptomatic and in a stable condition,” he said, adding that more test results are awaited.
In view of detection of one positive case of COVID-19 among the returnees from Kohima, quarantined at Sao Chang College Quarantine Centre, the DC Tuensang has declared the entire Campus as Containment Zone as defined in the SOP issued the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare with immediate effect.
Violation of SOP on returnees
Notably, this incident revealed the sheer failure of the authorities in implementation of the laid down SOPs which states that symptomatic returnees would be isolated and tested.
However, with the first Shramik Special Train from Chennai reaching Nagaland on May 22, the returnees were screened and sent to different quarantine centers in Dimapur and Kohima in government arranged transportation and lodged at the facilities.
Returnees from other special trains and all those reaching the state on their own arrangements are also being dealt likewise.
Ministerial team to leave for Tuesang on May 28
Meanwhile, Minister for Planning and Coordination, Land Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs, Neiba Kronu said there is no negligence on the part of the state government in the positive patient reaching Tuensang from Kohima.
“It is due to some communication gap that such an unfortunate incident happened,” he said, asserting that a ministerial team led by Health Minister Pangnyu Phom would be leaving for Tuensang on Thursday to take over all stock of the situation in the district and also pacify the general public.
The Government will ensure that no such dereliction is repeated, Kronu assured. (Page News Service)