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Infected US tourist took seven-day Brahmaputra tour

The US tourist and his partner were two of a total of four Americans on board the vessel MV Mahabaahu that set sail on February 23 on a week-long cruise of the Brahmaputra

Updated on: Mar 07, 2020 03:27 AM IST
Hindustan Times, Guwahati/New Delhi | By
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A Faridabad-based adventure tour company confirmed on Friday that a US citizen who tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Bhutan and his partner were among four foreign travellers and 37 crew who had been on a seven-day cruise on the Brahmaputra river just before he flew to the Himalayan country.

On Friday, Bhutan Prime Minister’s Office announced that the US tourist had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. (AFP photo)
On Friday, Bhutan Prime Minister’s Office announced that the US tourist had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. (AFP photo)

According to tweets by the editor of a Bhutan newspaper, the 76-year-old US tourist had come to India on February 21 with his 59-year-old partner and had travelled to Mumbai, Kolkata and Assam, before boarding Drukair flight KB241 to Paro in Bhutan from Guwahati on March 2.

The US tourist and his partner were two of a total of four Americans on board the vessel MV Mahabaahu that set sail on February 23 on a week-long cruise of the Brahmaputra, said Sanjay Basu, CEO of the Faridabad-based Adventure River Cruises, which operates the vessel.

The rest of 37 persons on board were crew members, he said.

On Friday, Bhutan Prime Minister’s Office announced that the US tourist had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

“We are aware that the US citizen was in Assam as well,” said Anurag Goel, commissioner and secretary of the health and family welfare department of Assam. “We are trying to collect that data and find out about the persons he came in contact with,” he added, referring to the procedure known as contact tracing.

 
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.

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