The taxi driver had transported a group of returnees from Dimapur to Mokokchung on June 21. One of the returnees’ samples tested positive in the Truenat test on June 27, and second confirmatory test is awaited. (Represnetative Image: fernando zhiminaicela from Pixabay)
• Not positive yet, transported 4 returnees on June 21
• Returnees stayed overnight in paid quarantine
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 28
The report about a taxi driver in Dimapur testing COVID-19 positive was officially dismissed as false on Sunday evening. A state Health official informed that the driver along with his family was placed in a government observation facility, separate from the other quarantine facilities, today as a precautionary measure.
The official said that the unnamed man, a private taxi driver, had transported a group of returnees from Dimapur to Mokokchung about a week back.
On June 27, one of the returnees’ samples tested positive in the Truenat test but was awaiting the confirmatory test report from a BSL laboratory as of writing this report.
Since he had transported the returnees, he and his family was isolated, the official said, while adding that they will be under observation for a few days or till the confirmatory test report of the Mokokchung cases arrives.
According to the official, the returnees (4 of them) reached Dimapur by flight on June 20. They opted for paid quarantine during the mandatory screening at the Agri Expo.
As per the existing protocol, they were supposed to have gone directly to Mokokchung the day they arrived in the transport arranged by the government like others have. If not, the other option was to stay overnight at the transit quarantine at the Agri Expo, the official said.
However, they opted for paid quarantine, stopping over in Dimapur overnight during which they booked a taxi. “They moved on June 21 (going into institutional quarantine in Mokokchung) and on June 27, one of them tested positive in the TrueNat test,” he said, adding, “The question is that when the government is arranging transport for returnees, why was it not opted for?”
The sample for the confirmatory test was sent to Dibrugarh on Sunday morning.
Early on June 28, the surveillance team in Dimapur was informed of the development in Mokokchung. It was followed with the District Task Force placing the driver and his family, who reside in Lengrijan, in an observation facility.
“We will be observing them for 1-2 days because we have to wait for the result of the Mokokchung case. Then only we’ll do the test,” he reiterated.
It could not be officially ascertained as to what happened to the paid quarantine (hotel), where the four returnees stayed.
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