23 May 2020, 1:13 pm
Covid 19 : 1st Case of Coronavirus in Sikkim Confirmed
This article has been preserved from The Voice Of Sikkim historical news collection and reflects information available at the time of its original publication.
Covid 19 : 1st Case of Coronavirus in Sikkim Confirmed
Sikkim Reports Its First Case of Covid-19
Gangtok, May 23: (IPR) Sikkim has reported its first positive case of Covid-19 today. This was officially confirmed by DG-cum-Secretary Health, Dr. P.T. Bhutia in an emergency press conference this evening.
Dr. Bhutia informed that the patient who tested positive is a 25 year old male from South Sikkim. He had travelled from New Delhi on 17th May, 2020 in a private bus till Siliguri. He had then travelled by SNT bus through Melli Checkpost on the 19th of May, 2020. He was kept under one of the designated facility quarantine centre in South District. He informed that there were a total of 12 persons in the bus, which comprised of 3 people from South District, and 9 from West District.
He developed fever and chills on 21st of May, and was immediately evacuated to the Covid-19 STNM Hospital on the morning of 22nd May. His sample was immediately tested on TrueNat Machine at STNM Hospital and it was reported positive. In order to further confirm, his sample was sent to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, Siliguri for RTPCR test. Today, at 3:30 pm, the report confirmed that he had tested positive for Covid-19.
The DG-cum-Secretary further informed that the Department immediately started the process of contact tracing, and all the people who had travelled with him have been traced and contacted. He informed that all his co- passengers who travelled to Sikkim via Melli Checkpost are under facility quarantine. He informed that the bus driver has been contacted and will be tested immediately. All the co-passengers and three other persons under facility quarantine are also under supervision.
Dr. Bhutia further informed that the COVID-19 patient was initially symptomatic, but now even though he tested positive, he is stable and asymptomatic. He is currently admitted in the Isolation ward.
Watch Press Conference Video Below By State Health Secy Dr. Pemba Bhutia
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