DIMAPUR, May 25 - Three samples tested positive for Covid-19 in Nagaland today, adding the state to the list of the virus-infected states in the country.
All the three positive cases travelled from Chennai on May 19 by a Shramik Special train and reached Dimapur on May 22, Nagaland Health and Family Welfare Minister S Pangnyu Phom said. Two of them, a 20-year-old boy and a 23-year-old girl, are undergoing treatment in a Covid-19 hospital in Dimapur, while the third, a 26-year-old man, is being treated at a Covid-19 hospital in Kohima.
Phom said the samples were tested at BSL-3 in Kohima and the reports were received at 5.36 am.
One person from Dimapur, Raju Jain tested positive for the virus in Guwahati on April 12. He was discharged from the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital in Guwahati on May 1 after his recovery.
According to reports, Jain remained a stateless case as both the governments of Assam and Nagaland are yet to clarify on his status.
Over 1,300 stranded people from the state came by the special train from Chennai.
During medical screening of the returnees at the Agri Expo site here, the girl was found having symptoms and sent directly to the isolation ward at the Covid-19 hospital in Dimapur. She was shifted to the covid ward at the Covid-19 hospital upon confirmation of her result.
Since the 20-year-old boy did not have any symptoms on arrival at the Agri Expo site, he was sent to a quarantine centre. However, he developed symptoms later and was sent to a Covid-19 hospital isolation ward in Dimapur for sample collection. His result came positive.
The other positive patient was sent directly to Kohima from the Dimapur Railway Station upon arrival.
As per contract tracing by the Dimapur district surveillance team, two of the positive cases were sitting adjacent to each other in the coach, Phom informed. He said all the three are now under treatment and stable.
Phom said the district surveillance units have intensified their surveillance activities and started contact tracing from 7 am today.
He added that massive exercise of testing all passengers who came by the Special Shramik train is being undertaken.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio appealed to the people of the state not to panic but to handle the situation with utmost care and responsibility.
�Necessary action of contact tracing and containment measures are being taken and situation closely monitored,� Rio tweeted.
