Chin State reports seventh COVID-19 positive case
With the latest discovery of new case of infection in Thantlang from a returning migrant from Malaysia, Chin State adds its list of COVID-19 positive cases to seven people.
A 32-year-old Chin, who had come back from Malaysia on a government-arranged chartered flight early this week, became the seventh person to be tested positive for novel Covid-19 in a state that has a population of about half a million people.
According to the Chin State Health Department, the patient has been kept in a quarantine facility in Thantlang town since his arrival on May 13, 2020.
The returnee, named case no.182, arrived in Yangon from Kuala Lumpur on Monday, May 11 together with 24 other Chins. They were among a group of 391 Burmese citizens on two repatriation flights specially arranged by the Burmese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
According to information put out by the Embassy on the same day, all of the repatriated persons were detainees who were kept in various immigration detention centers in Malaysia before being brought back in the country on a government’s repatriation program.
Case no. 182 travelled to Chin State from Yangon in a pre-arranged vehicle to Thantlang via Hakha. Four of his close contacts went to Tedim, two to Khampat in Sagaing Region, one to Hakha, another one to Thantlang and the rest to Matupi and Mindat towns respectively, where there were all placed in quarantine immediately upon their arrivals.
Co-travellers of case no.182 in Thantlang and Hakha were tested negative, according to the Chin State Health Department.
Ram Khar, head of the Thantlang Municipal Committee, said that because the returnees were taken straight to the quarantine facility upon arrival at the entrance to the town, their contacts will be limited only to people sharing the quarantine place and hospital staff.
The patient was transferred earlier today to Hakha General Hospital, where the facility is better equipped to handle COVID-19 case. The hospital recently discharged another patient from isolation and transferred to a quarantine facility for further observation, after her tests showed negative for two consecutive times.
The Chin State Health Department said that they are now actively conducting ‘contact tracing’ as much as possible to prevent any further spread of the virus from the current patient.
Meanwhile, a focal person in charge of the Satellite Migration Advice Centre (SATMAC) based in Maputi reports that there are 20 returning migrants from China and Malaysia arriving in the town last Wednesday and are now placed in quarantine.
Another group of over 30 returning migrants from India entering Chin State have also been kept at a quarantine facility in Rihkhuadar, Falam Township.
Of the seven COVID-19 cases that have been confirmed positive in Chin State to date, three are returnees from the United States, China and Malaysia. The rest are reported to be close contacts of the returnees.#