Manipur: Man returning from Guwahati dies; COVID-19 test result awaited

Imphal: A 40-year-old man from Bishnupur district, who had recently come back home after seven years of stay in Guwahati, passed away in Manipur on Monday night due to multiple organ failure. However, doctors are yet to be ascertain whether it had anything to do with COVID-19 as his swab test result is still awaited.

According to chief medical officer (CMO) of Bishnupur Dr L Gojendra Singh, the man, a resident of Nambol Kongkham, along with his wife arrived at Imphal International Airport by flight on July 13. Later, the couple were kept at Nambol Higher Secondary School Community Quarantine Center (CQC) as per the COVID-19 protocol and guidelines by the government.

However, the health condition of the man with a history of multiple viral infections deteriorated and he died around 11.18 pm. Soon after that, the district medical team collected his samples for COVID-19 and are waiting for the test results, the official said.

If the deceased tests COVID-19 positive, he would be the first person in the state succumbed to the virus.

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Meanwhile, despite the absence of report, the healthcare workers are not taking any chances and working on the assumption of handling a COVID-19 positive body.

The body has been wrapped and taken by an ambulance from CQC to crematorium. Later, the crematorium shall be disinfected, said Dr Singh.

Even though there is very little risk of spread of virus from the dead body, as per the medical official, due care is being taken in handling it and to protect the family members and the community due to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.

And if the sample of the departed man or his wife is tested positive for COVID-19, all close contacts shall be tested as precautionary medical measure.

As on July 14, the total number of COVID-19 postive is 1,626, wherein active and recovered cases are 656 and 970, respectively.

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