A 23-year-old girl hailing from the Imphal west district, Manipur was tested positive for the disease on March 24.
Two doctors of J.N. Institute of Medical Sciences, L. Shivadutta, research scientist, and Rajkumar Manojkumar, principal investigator, both of Department of Microbiology, JNIMS, issued the positive confirmation certificate at 6:40 am on Tuesday. It says that the throat and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from the patient. Meanwhile, a video clipping showing the girl gasping for breath on the hospital bed has gone viral.
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At 6:11 am on Tuesday, the girl replied to a friend saying “I have Covid-19 and I am scared”. Reports say that she had been staying in London and returned to India on March 19.
Soon after the report, Rangitabali Waikhom, district magistrate, Imphal east, issued an order on Tuesday morning prohibiting any kind of movement in the entire district. The government has been instructing people to stay indoors.
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Earlier, the government extended total lockdown in the entire State till March 31 after a Cabinet meeting on Monday. The earlier plan was that the lockdown would end on March 25. From early morning, police are blocking vehicular movement in the district.
Reports say that some other people are also under observation.
In a statement, Manipur Health Director K. Rajo confirmed “one Manipuri person” was found COVID-19 positive. Tracing of the person’s movements and contacts was important. The director said all those who had come into contact with the patient should be under self-isolation or report to the authority.
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Reports say that the health authority had taken up steps to test swabs of the people who came into contact with the patient.
