IndiaFive persons from Udaipur town in Gomati district andBaikhora in South Tripura district went to Chennai fortreatment but got stuck there as the lockdown was imposed.They hired an ambulance and the driver drove them over 3,200km to reach Udaipur town on April 27.
They were screened at Churabari on Assam-Tripuraborder and allowed to enter the state since they had nosymptoms. The driver was allowed to return as his pass wasvalid till April 28," Nath told reporters at the secretariat.
"The swab samples of the driver and the fivepassengers were collected for tests. The report of the sampleof the driver, who is from Tamil Nadu, came in as COVID-19positive," he added.
The reports of the swab samples of the other fivepersons were negative, Nath, the spokesperson of the statecabinet, said.
The driver was located in Siliguri in West Bengalearlier in the day, he said.
The five persons are now undergoing quarantine inUdaipur, the minister said.
Though the reports of the five persons came in asnegative, their samples would be tested again forreconfirmation. Their 14-day quarantine is not over yet. So,we shall test them again. Having no symptom doesnt mean oneisnt infected by the virus," he said.
The government is also trying to find out if anyoneother than the passengers came in contact with the driver,Nath said.
The minister said that about 40,000 people fromTripura are now stranded in different parts of the country,but so far only 6,000 have registered themselves with thestate helpline to return home.
It is a tough task to bring all of them back to thestate and there is a huge risk in allowing them to enter. Ourgovernment is providing all kinds of help to the strandedpeople," he said.
Tripura would soon start rapid testing for COVID-19,Nath said, appealing to people not to panic.
Nath urged the people of the state not to conceal anycoronavirus-like symptoms and report to the authorities.
Tripura reported two COVID-19 cases and both thepatients have recovered. At present, 307 persons are undersurveillance in the state, including 231 in home isolation and75 in quarantine centres. So far, 4,613 persons have beentested. JOYSOM SOM