Couple form Kashmir tests coronavirus positive 18 days after returning from abroad

In a development that could ring further alarm bells, a couple from south Kashmir’s Shopian district tested positive for novel coronavirus 18 days after their return from Umrah (minor Hajj) pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Reports said the couple had returned to Srinagar via the same flight on March 16 in which an elderly woman from Khanyar area of Srinagar, who was Kashmir’s first COVID-19 positive case, travelled.

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Besides the couple, nine pilgrims from Shopian district had returned in the same flight and all of them were traced and put in quarantine, while their family members were instructed to stay at home and put under surveillance.

After completing 14 days in quarantine, 10 of the pilgrims were let go home but the eleventh was admitted to a hospital. On April 1, the said person was found to be coronavirus positive. The other 10 pilgrims, who completed 14-day mandatory quarantine, were advised by the doctors to stay at home for further two days.

However, according to locals, the pilgrims instead of staying home started meeting relatives, friends and neighbors. After two days when the 11th pilgrim was tested positive, the rest 10 were again taken to quarantine facilities which doctors called as a precautionary measure.

On April 3 (Friday) a husband and wife, among the ten, showed symptoms and they were tested positive on Saturday evening. “The virus may have been transmitted in the quarantine facility. Why else would they develop symptoms after 18 days of being under observation,” a doctor told DH wishing anonymity.

According to locals, these pilgrims had met people, hugged them, shook their hands, and shared sweets with them before they were taken for quarantine. “Now again, we have to go for contact tracing of these 11 pilgrims and there is every likelihood that in the coming days, a good number of people will test positive in the area,” the doctor added.