Another Covid-19 positive case sent with other passengers

Our Reporter
Dimapur, June 4 (EMN): Another case of mishandling transportation of returnees resurfaced, when 17 returnees from Chennai were sent off to Jalukie in Peren district from Dimapur on June 3, breaking the government’s revised standard operating procedures (SOP).

The revised SOP issued on June 1 stated that all returnees from Chennai, who are quarantined at Kohima and Dimapur, and are awaiting the test results, would remain in their respective quarantine facilities.

Among the 17 persons sent to Jalukie, one had tested positive for Covid-19.

In a press release issued on Thursday, the Dimapur district surveillance officer, Dr. Imtiwabong Aier, said that the 17 returnees from Chennai ‘who tested negative were transported from Dimapur to Peren district at around 7.30 pm to 8 pm on June 3’.

However, Aier stated that on receiving the new batch of test results, and upon contact tracing, it was learnt that one of the positive cases was mistakenly sent to Peren and that the person had reached Jalukie.

He said that the chief medical officer of Peren was immediately informed of the situation, adding that the positive case was isolated ‘so that necessary precautions could be taken’.

“We deeply regret that in spite of our best efforts, this unintentional error has been made by the District Surveillance Team Dimapur during this hour of crises,” read the press release.

‘First Tuensang, now Peren’ — TR Zeliang

Condemning the act, opposition leader TR Zeliang asked if the mishandling of cases has now become a ‘norm for the dispensation, having no regard for human lives,’ stating ‘first it was Tuensang and now Peren.’

Zeliang, in a Twitter update, questioned ‘if one mistake was not enough for the government of Nagaland to learn and take corrective measures accordingly.’

The opposition leader stated that apart from the other instances, these two were enough proof of how ‘ill-prepared’ the state is in combating this pandemic. At the same time, he reiterated that ‘a mistake that endangers lives was inexcusable and a crime’.

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) for Covid-19, Peren, in a press release issued on Thursday, demanded immediate disciplinary action against the officers concerned as per the provision of the law.

It stated that as the ‘matter had shown total disregard to the citizens of Peren district’.

The JAC also stated that the government would be solely responsible if any public uprising or eventuality happens out of mishandling or negligence done by the government officials.