One Delhi returnee tests +ve for Coronavirus, blow to Himachal

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh, which is aiming to be Coronavirus-free, suffered a big blow on Monday, the day when the state entered phase-III of lockdown. A 30-year old youth, who had returned home at Joginder Nagar in Mandi district, was tested positive. He was working in a private company.

Till now, there was only one active Coronavirus case left in Himachal Pradesh of the total 40 tested positive since May 22.

Hours back, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had forecast Himachal Pradesh being next state likely to become COVID -19-free. But by evening, the report from Mandi shocked the health officials. As a result, Himachal Pradesh will have two active cases of total 41 tested positive so far.

The youth was struck in Delhi and had returned to the state after obtaining e-pass. He was at home quarantine and had developed some symptoms of Coronavirus two days back.

Deputy Commissioner Mandi Rughdev Thakur confirmed to the Millennium Post that Mandi district, so far, had no Coronavirus case.

The development has created further scare in the state about new arrivals from other states, many still in red zone, spreading virus to state's population observing lockdown for past 40 days.

Till now, 75,000 persons, primarily students stuck at different places or those who were working in major towns, have already returned to the state after state government listed restrictions and relaxed norms on inter-state movements of students and others.

The state government has also issued passes to 1.25 lakh persons seeking to return homes. This poses an added threat to return of virus footprints in the state.

The government is under tremendous pressures to facilitate return of those struck at Goa, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Jaipur and states like Punjab, UP, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Only on Monday, state government had taken up with ministry of railways to run special train from Goa, where 1000 persons were struck. Next priority will be bringing people from Mumbai and Bangalore.

Principal Secretary ( Disaster Management) Onkar Sharma, who is nodal officer working out arrangements to enable return of those struck in elsewhere in the country, said task is very cumbersome as every day the number of persons asking for allowing their return is growing at high proportion.

Already, the state government had run special buses between Chandigarh to evacuate those struck in the Tricity.

Additional Chief Secretary (health) R D Dhiman spoke about further strengthening of home quarantine measures for all the persons returning to the state.

Meanwhile, state government has allowed opening of the markets and business establishments barring hotels, restaurants, saloons etc.