Second test of Assam girl is negative for Covid-19: Officials

The girl, her sister and her mother came to Jorhat on March 19. Local healthcare personnel visited the family on Friday and brought them to JMCH as the girl exhibited symptoms.

Updated on: Mar 22, 2020, 09:55:51 IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Utpal Parashar

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Authorities in Assam’s Jorhat district said on Sunday morning the second test of the four-year-old girl suspected to have Covid-19 has been found negative.

Thermal screening of passengers being conducted in the wake of deadly coronavirus, at the entrance of Guwahati Railway Station on Monday. (ANI)

Officials in Jorhat had said on Saturday evening that the child, who came to the state on Thursday by train with her mother and sister, had tested positive after a test done at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH).

The child was running a high fever.

In order to double-check the results, the girl’s samples were sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR’s) Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) at Lahowal in Dibrugarh district.

Jorhat deputy commissioner Roshni Aparanji Korati informed on Sunday morning that the test at RMRC has been tested negative for Covid-19.

The Jorhat district deputy commissioner said the child could be suffering from some other strain of coronavirus as she has fever and cough.

No case of Covid-19 has been detected in the entire northeast region so far as the number across the country rose to 315 on Saturday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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