Three Jharkhand migrant labourers test Covid-19 positive in Chhattisgarh

Three migrant labourers have been tested coronavirus positive in Chhattisgarh while on transit to their native state of Jharkhand.

A large number of migrant labourers, mostly from Jharkhand and Bihar, had crossed into Chhattisgarh from Maharashtra after the lockdown came into effect. They were initially kept at different quarantined centres in Rajnandgaon on Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh borders.

A group of over 100 persons was sent to quarantine centres in Surajpur on the Jharkhand-Chhattisgarh border. The labourers, natives of Jharkhand, were waiting to return to their state. On Tuesday, one of them tested positive for coronavirus, creating panic in the camp.

The authorities swung into action and conducted rapid tests as nine people were suspected to be infected, including government staff and a policeman on duty in the centre.

“The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Raipur has conducted RT-PCR tests on nine samples from Surajpur on Thursday and found two positive Covid-19 cases,” said Nitin M Nagarkar, AIIMS’ Director. At present, three patients from Surajpur have been admitted in the AIIMS Covid-19 ward, he added.

Six other suspected patients from Surajpur have been asked to remain in quarantine. One sample will be re-tested to confirm infection. All three positive cases from Surajpur are males, aged 58, 26 and 25 years. They have a travel history in other states and were headed to Jharkhand via Chhattisgarh.