Four-year-old suspected COVID-19 patient in Assam negative on retest

A four-and-half-year-old girl in Assam, who tested positive of Coronavirus infection in Jorhat on Saturday was declared negative after her sample was retested.

"The four year old child, who was suspected of COVID 19 and tested in Jorhat Medical College and Hospital and Regional Medical Research Centre, Dibrugarh has been found negative. There is no COVID 19 positive case in Assam so far," Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted on Sunday morning.

The 4 year old child who was suspected of #covid19 and tested in Jorhat Medical College and RMRC, Dibrugarh has been found NEGATIVE. There is no Covid19 positive case in Assam so far. pic.twitter.com/u2pqoJnwTe

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) March 22, 2020

Sarma also posted the retest report of the girl, which was done in the Regional Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, Dibrugarh. 

On Saturday, the Jorhat district administration said that the girl, who was having symptoms of Coronavirus infection was tested in the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) laboratory and it was found positive. Sources said her samples tested negative on re-check. "According to the protocol, all positve cases has to be rechecked for confirmation. And recheck report has shown her negative," a health department official said.

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The Jorhat district administration in eastern Assam said the girl had come from Bihar with her mother and sister and reached Jorhat on March 19. One ANM and ASHA worker visited their home and brought her to the JMCH for test as she exhibited symptops of Coronavirus infection. 

The girl and her family has been shifted to JMCH isolation ward. Health personnel have started identifying their contacts for necessary action.