There has been much confusion about the businessman from Dimapur who was tested positive for COVID-19. Initially it was widely reported that Nagaland registered it’s first positive case but as of now the official tally of COVID-19 positive cases in Nagaland shows Nil.
The Health Ministry, Govt. of India’s website shows Nil cases in Nagaland as on 17 April 2020 with a caption “#Nagaland patient shifted to Assam”
Firstly, is the businessman COVID-19 positive?
There have been messages circulating in WhatsApp groups that the Dimapur businessman is actually tested negative. This is a wrong information as various sources have confirmed that the patient is positive. Assam Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was the first to confirm this.
A private hospital in Dimapur, Nagaland referred a patient to GMCH after he was found with symptoms of #COVID19. He has tested positive and is undergoing treatment.#AssamCares
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) April 12, 2020
Why is the patient not included in Nagaland’s tally?
Nagaland’s Department of Health and Family Welfare has, however, has been maintaining the State has no positive case. Its periodic updates say: “The positive case of Nagaland have been added to the tally of Assam State as sampling was done in Assam…” The Hindu reports.
The Hindu further reports “It is obvious that the man was infected in Nagaland but was sent to us because they could not handle such a case. If the Nagaland government wants to keep its slate clean, we cannot do anything about it,” an Assam health official said, declining to be quoted.
Problem is that the patient is not mentioned in Assam government’s update on the number of COVID-19 positive cases, thus making him “Stateless”.