Manipur woman back from Britain

GUWAHATI: A 23-year-old woman, who returned from the United Kingdom last week, tested positive for the coronavirus in Manipur, making it the first confirmed case in the Northeast, the state health minister said on Monday.

“The first coronavirus case has been confirmed in Manipur. The patient is a 23-year-old lady who was studying in UK and returned to Imphal via New Delhi on an Air Asia flight on March 21,” Manipur health minister L Jayantakumar Singh said.

The patient showed signs of illness on March 22, a day after she arrived in Manipur. Her samples were collected on Monday and the results announced early on Tuesday morning. Test was conducted on throat and nasal swabs of the student at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) at state capital, Imphal.

The minister said that the patient’s younger brother who is studying in the US and had returned to the state last week is also suffering from fever and other symptoms of Covid-19. His test results are awaited.

“Both of them are kept at isolation wards in JNIMS. Till now the condition of the girl is fine but she has symptoms like sneezing and fever. Otherwise she is fine and healthy and nothing to be worried about,” Singh said.

He said passengers who were on the same flight as the patient have been detected, listed out and questioned about their travel history.

“Everything that is needed to be done as per procedure has been done by the state government. Till now we have tested 22 cases including the confirmed patient and her brother and only one result has come positive,” added Singh.