COVID-19 patient travels from Delhi to Kolkata via Guwahati with 'positive' result in pocket

Guwahati: After COVID-19 landed on our shores, the country seems to have turned into a bizarro land and an incident in which a patient was carrying around his 'positive' report in his pocket has added to the 

A COVID-19 positive man in Delhi from West Bengal, in a desperate bid to reach his native Kolkata, took a flight via Guwahati city in Assam as direct Delhi-Kolkata flights have been banned in view of the virus outbreak. Later, it was found that the man was COVID-19 and was carrying his "positive" report in his shirt pocket.

After reaching Kolkata, the man insisted that he be taken to a quarantine centre as he was suffering from a cough. Officials initially did not take him seriously as he did not present any of the symptoms associated with the virus. His temperature was checked and re-checked, but it was "normal".

The man, in a state of agitation, produced a COVID-19 report that said he was positive. Holding up the report in front of officials, he brazenly said, "See, this is my COVID-19 result report." Immediately, the alert was sounded and the officials initiated contact tracing as the man, who is a resident of North 24 Parganas, had travelled in two flights to reach Kolkata.

After an initial stage of inquiry, it has come to light he tested COVID-19 positive two days before he boarded the Guwahati flight from Delhi, and suppressed the information. An airport official said that he was definitely aware of his COVID-19 positive status and had possibly lied in a self-declaration form.

The incident has sent the airports and airline officials into a tizzy and has shown the chinks in the armour of COVID surveillance in airports and mobile applications that have been put in place by the Government to prevent transmission. The fact that a COVID-19 positive man found the liberty to travel with many passengers and imperil their lives has posed some rather tough questions to the Government and its COVID-19 surveillance mechanism.

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