Leader of Opposition in Meghalaya Assembly, Mukul Sangma on Saturday asked the state government to find out how the first COVID-19 patient, who succumbed to the virulent virus attack got infected.
“We must not jump into conclusion. We need to look at history of the case keeping in mind what was the response of the health authorities in the case of the first COVID-19 positive case,” he told reporters.
“We must look at and trace the likely source of transmission other than the first suspected source of infection (which in this case is the son-in-law),” Sangma, a qualified physician himself said.
Meghalaya recorded the first COVID-19 positive case on April 13, Dr. Sailo, the Director of the Bethany hospital. He died in less than 48-hours.
Out of the 11 active COVID-19 patients, two are domestic helpers and eight of them are family members of Dr. Sailo. Another woman, who had met Dr. Sailo was also tested positive for the virus.
Stating that the swab samples test of the first suspected source had turned out negative, the former Chief Minister said that the suspected source was also tested negative for the travel to Manipur.
“It is for this reason we need to understand the gravity of the situation and to look at other sources of transmission,” the veteran Congress legislator said.
However, deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong said the disease started from one source.
“After assessment done by health experts it was found that the spread of the disease confined to one source,” Tynsong said in his daily briefing on COVID-19.
The leader of Opposition also stressed that nobody should stigmatize infected individuals or those suspected to be the carrier of the virus.
He urged people to come forward for test in case they have symptoms.
