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Agra man tests positive for Covid after returning from China
Currently asymptomatic, the man from Shahganj area is being monitored, and those who come into contact with him are being tested, according to officials.
Two days after returning from China, a 40-year-old man from Agra tested positive for Covid on Sunday, health department officials said. Presently asymptomatic, the man from Shahganj area was under watch and those coming in his contact were being tested, they added.
“His sample has been sent to Lucknow for genome sequencing to know the variant he carries while travelling from China,” said chief medical officer (CMO), Agra, Dr AK Srivastava.
“The man tested positive on Sunday at a private pathology lab in Agra which informed the health department about it. He is employed with a private organisation in China and reached Agra on leave on Friday (December 23). He underwent RT-PCR test for Covid the report of which on Sunday confirmed he was positive,” the CMO added.
“The man is presently in sound health and asymptomatic and is at his home. The Rapid Response Team (RRT) activated after the recent surge in Covid cases in China and a few other nations is keeping a watch on the man who has tested positive. Those who might have come in his contact are being asked to undergo Covid test,” Dr Srivastava said.
“The sample of the man has already been sent to Lucknow lab for genome sequencing to know the variant carried by him from China to Agra. All precautionary measures are being taken to check the spread but we have to wait for genome sequencing report,” the CMO said.
“Vigil has already been increased in Agra—the home to various tourist destinations, including Taj Mahal, which is drawing huge tourist inflow these days. Samples of those arriving at airport, railway stations and bus stands are being tested by the teams deployed by the health department,” he said while elaborating on the arrangements being made in the city.
Foreigners reaching Taj Mahal are being asked to undergo Covid test. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has made a request asking tourists to opt for online mode of ticket buying to avoid assembling at ticket windows which remain crowded these days.
“We are going to interact with various organisations, including hotel and restaurant associations, in Agra to be on alert. We will ask them to report about the guests especially those coming from nations, including China, where Covid is causing much harm. Travel history of those coming to Agra needs to be watched,” the CMO said.
“We would be meeting the DM on Monday to have a concrete strategy chalked out to keep a watch on those coming to Agra especially those from foreign nations,” he added.
“Agra last had reported a Covid positive case on November 25. Since then, there had been no Covid case. The man testing positive on Sunday is the only active case in Agra as of now. Samples of all those testing positive now will be sent for genome sequencing to keep an eye on the variant,” said Dr Srivastava.
For the unversed, Agra was first district of Uttar Pradesh where first five cases of Covid were reported on March 2, 2020, during the first Covid wave. There were several Covid deaths here during the second wave of the pandemic.
