Tripura BJP MLA, wife test positive for Covid-19

AGARTALA: BJP MLA from Bagma in Gomati district Rampada Jamatia and his wife tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, becoming the first people’s representative in Tripura to contract the virus, chief medical officer of the district Dr Niru Mohan Jamatia said.

Two of the MLA’s security guards also tested positive.

They have been taken to a Covid care centre, while a their family members, neighbours and party workers have been directed to home quarantine themselves.

“According to protocol, testing will be carried out for all his contacts and others would be tested only if symptoms develop or otherwise,” Dr Jamatia said, adding that the department has taken adequate measures across the district to contain further spread of Covid.

“One of our party worker is staying in my house at the village and has been visiting interior areas. So, I thought to undergo a Covid test, along with my wife and two of security guards, though none of us has any symptom,” the MLA said.

So far, Tripura has registered eight Covid deaths, with 1,397 active cases , with the total number of cases at 3,345.

Tripura's Covid-19 tally rose to 3,346 on Wednesday as the state reported its highest single-day spike of 254 fresh cases, officials said.

One more patient succumbed to the infection, taking the death toll due to the coronavirus to eight in the northeastern state, they said.

Chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb tweeted late on Tuesday: “Alert! 254 people found COVID-19 positive out of 5,185 samples tested. Unfortunately, 1 COVID-19 positive patient died today.”

Eighty-one more people have recovered from the disease in the state and were discharged from hospitals on Tuesday, Deb said.