Two persons from Mon district have tested positive for COVID-19 again even after they had recovered from the contagion and were discharged from District Hospital Dimapur. The duo were sent to Mon on June 23 along with 18 other recovered patients after their re-test results turned negative in Dimapur, minister Transport, Civil Aviation, Railways, and Land Resources, P. Paiwang Konyak informed Nagaland Post. The recovered returnees were however segregated and kept at a separate quarantine block.
Though they were recovered patients, Paiwang said as per Mon district Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the duo were still kept at the quarantine centre upon arrival on June 24. As per the SOP, every returnee to the district, whether recovered or negative etc. have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine, he said. They are released only after their results turn negative– under the ‘Negative Test Policy’ of the district, where returnees have to further undergo two test and confirm that they are free from the virus.
Based on this policy, the two returnees were again tested on the 10th day (July 3) and their results turned out positive, Paiwang stated. The first test by TrueNat showed positive thereafter a second test was conducted using the confirmatory kit, which also turned out to be positive, Paiwang informed. Even after recovery, he said both the patients still carried the viral load. Following report of three more frontline workers (police personnel) testing positive for COVID-19 on Friday, Mon district administration has extend the total lockdown in the district till July 12. This was conveyed at a joint meeting attended by minister Paiwang Konyak, district administration and police officials at DC’s conference hall, Mon.
The objective of extending the lockdown was to carry out effective contact tracing. The frontline workers had tested negative in their first test, but in the second test the results were positive. Earlier, nine frontline workers in Mon district had tested positive for COVID. With this the tally rose to 12 frontline workers alone in Mon district being infected. Confirming this to Nagaland Post, deputy commissioner Mon, Thavaseelan K said on receiving the negative test report on Friday morning, he and the SP attended the meeting convened by transport and civil aviation and land resources minister P Paiwang Konyak.
He said currently there were 41 active COVID-19 cases at Mon COVID Care Centre out of which 12 were frontline workers. He said the first batch of 23 persons’ samples was sent to ICMR, Dibrugarh as per protocol. Meanwhile, the Mon DC has also issued a series of orders notifying mandatory use of face masks, maintaining social distance and spitting in public places and warned that violators would be imposed a fine of Rs 200 per offence.
Households and business establishments were also directed to collect their used personal protective equipment (PPE) and incinerate them at a convenient place within their compound or at a designated place in their wards identified by the respective ward authorities.In another order, the DIC directed that with a view to contain possible transmission and spread of the virus, all persons engaged in wet markets/slaughter houses within the jurisdiction of Mon town should collect all waste fluids at a designated place and sanitise the same. He warned that violators would be penalised with a fine of Rs 500 per offence.
Further, the DC asked the teachers conducting tuition for students at their private residences during the lockdown period to immediately stop the practice as it was in total contravention of the lockdown rules and regulations, and warned that anyone found violating the order would be punished as per the provision of law.
Report from Mritunjoy Das, Special Correspondent Sonari
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