A volunteer of a quarantine centre, who was brought to the Tamenglong district hospital at Duigailong, Tamenglong HQ was tested COVID-19 positive on Monday, hospital sources said.
The person is a government employee and has no travel history. He had served as a volunteer at the community quarantine centre at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Tamenglong till July 18.
With the detection of COVID-19 positive inside the district hospital without any travel history, the ground floor of the district hospital and resident area of the patient has been sealed immediately and declared a containment zone.
When contacted, Dr Chambo Gonmei, chief medical officer of Tamenglong, informed that the patient was brought to the district hospital and admitted on Sunday night complaining of breathing problems and throat pain. The medical team immediately tested him for coronavirus, and the patient was found COVID-19 positive. He has been referred to RIMS Imphal, he added.
All the family members of the patient are now under home quarantine at Dimthanlong, Ward No. III, Tamenglong.
It is reported that the COVID-19 positive patient had opened his shop at his residence recently and sold goods to many customers in his neighbourhood. Following it, additional district magistrate, Kajaigai Gangmei issued a prohibition order and declared containment zone in Dimthanlong, Ward No-III, the residential area of the patient.
In his order, Gangmei stated that any person(s) or institution(s) or organisation(s) found violating any of the containment measures shall be deemed to have committed an offence punishable under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
The additional district magistrate also declared the ground floor of the district hospital as sealed for 48 Hours with effect from 12 noon of August 17. He further advised the chief medical officer and district surveillance officer to disinfect the premises at the earliest to prevent further spread of the virus.
The total number of COVID-19 positive cases in the district has surged to 276 on Monday, out of which 231 has recovered and released from COVID Care Centre, Tamenglong.
It may be mentioned that few returnees lodged at the community quarantine centre at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Tamenglong tested COVID-19 positive. It is suspected that the COVID-19 positive detected on Monday may have spread from the same quarantine centre.
