First case of COVID19 has been reported from Nagaland in the northeast - where the malady is
gradually spreading.
The patient has tested positive in a Guwahati hospital, where he was referred to by doctors in Dimapur.
There is no testing centre in Nagaland and the state government recently announced
its decision to establish two Bio Safety Laboratory (BSL) one in capital Kohima (under Level 3) and the other in Dimapur (under Level 2).
Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted: "A private hospital in Dimapur, Nagaland referred a patient to GMCH after he was found with symptoms of COVID19. He has tested positive and is undergoing treatment".
Nagaland government - run by NDPP-BJP coalition has plunged into action and privately-run Zion Hospital, where the patient had originally visited in Dimapur, has been sealed.
Sources said the localities where the patient used to stay - Marwari Patty and adjoining Ghorapatty areas have been sealed. Members of the joint family of the patient have been shifted to Nagaland government quarantine centre in Dimapur while his parents were undergoing test in Guwahati.
The patient, who works in a private company, had reportedly flown into Dimapur from Kolkata on March 24 in an Air India flight.
After few days as he developed symptoms for COVID-19, the patient was admitted to the private hospital in Dimapur and later referred to Guwahati for test.
According to the sources, the sample tested positive on April 11.
Nagaland Health minister S. Pangnyu Phom is personally monitoring the situation, sources said.
Meanwhile, contact tracing has been started for all passengers who were on the same flight from Kolkata to Dimapur on March 24.
Dimapur civic authorities have also ordered that the wholesale market at Guwahati-Shillong Road in Dimapur and the retail shops in the locality will remain closed until further directives.
"We appeal all citizens not to panic (in Dimapur and Nagaland) as necessary precautionary measures are taking place to tackle the current situation....," said Y Kikheto Sema, a senior IAS officer in the Special Committee on COVID19 in Nagaland.
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For obvious reasons, reports of the positive COVID19 case spread like wildfire leaving citizens and authorities wondering whether Nagaland health system was effective enough to tackle the challenges thrown by COVID-19.
There is also apprehension over transportation of various commodities from Assam and other states through Golaghat (in Assam) where some COVID-19 cases were reported.
Assam has so far reported 29 cases including one death -- of the person who had reportedly attended the Tablighi Markaz
in Delhi in March.
From Tripura - two cases were reported with both the patients (one of them being a woman) having travel history
of boarding a train from Delhi to Guwahati. Reportedly, many of those who attended the Nizamudin conclave of
Muslim clerics also traveled in the same train.
In Mizoram, one pastor who had travelled to Amsterdam and other European cities was tested positive and was undergoing treatment.
Mamata Govt gets mild warning for lockdown dilution
Close on the heels of a Muslim evangelical event in Delhi that sent shivers down the spine of a
coronavirus-hit nation, the central government on Saturday, April 11, built up pressure of Mamata
Banerjee government in West Bengal for "gradual dilution of lockdown" by allowing a congregation
of minority community yet again.
In unprecedented and strongly worded letter to the state Chief Secretary and DGP - who are obviously working
in confidence and at the behest of self-styled mercurial Chief Minister Banerjee, the Union Home Ministry has said that
such activities including allowing of shops those dealing with non essential items, were violation of lockdown norms
and "liable for penal action".
Notably, the Union Home Ministry missive was served on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a four-hour long
interaction with the Chief Ministers on the issue of lockdown and constant increase in number of patients.
The central government's letter has been endorsed and tweeted by the state's constitutional head - who wrote:
"Time to attend to MHA critical aspects on urgent basis so that our fight against coronavirus is not frustrated".
He further wrote: "Worrisome issues of dilution of Lockdown, lapses in observance of Social Distancing and religious congregations need to be sternly dealt in public interest".
Hundreds of Muslims had gathered at the Murshidabad mosque on Friday without masks or cloth to cover
their mouths and nose.
The centre has also taken exception that the Mamata-led regime chose to give "number of exceptions" during lockdown
by allowing shops relating to non-essential items.
"....There is no regulation (in West Bengal) in vegetable, fish and mutton markets where people have been thronging
in complete violation of social distancing...," said the letter signed by Deputy Secretary Srinivasu K.
"it is requested that strict action be taken in the matter and a report in this regard may be furnished to this ministry urgently.
It is further requested to take measures to prevent recurrence of such violations in future," the missive said.
In Mamata Banerjee-ruled West Bengal, a unique order was issued by the state government
allowing sale/take aways of sweets.
Apparently the decision was taken after a powerful lobby of sweetmeat outlets flagged concerns over
wastage of milk and joblessness of staff.
Many shoppers were seen welcoming the state government's move saying taking
sweets is like an addiction for them and that they cannot do without Rasogolla or Sandesh.
But all these might have proved costly both to the state and the nation as there has been constant
increase in number of Wuhan virus affected people.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee later in the day said that the lockdown within the state will proceed until April 30
and all educational establishments will stay closed until June 10.
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