Arunachal’s first Covid-19 positive person, who tested negative for the second time in a row, was released from the Tezu zonal general hospital on Friday. His fourth swab sample, collected on 15 April, also returned a negative result. It has come as a huge relief for the state government as well as the people of the state. An uneasy calm had prevailed in the state ever since the report of a person from Medo in Lohit district having tested positive for Covid-19 had emerged. The man was asymptomatic and had been to Nizamuddin, from where a number of people with Covid-19 positive cases emerged. He is a native of Assam, and is a temporary resident of Medo.
The hospital authorities of Tezu deserve appreciation for handling the whole case carefully. The issue almost took on a communal angle as people on social media objected to him being treated in the state, alleging that he had deliberately brought the virus from the Nizamuddin religious congregation to the state. It was really unfortunate to see people hounding the Covid-19 patient and his entire family on social media. This must have left a psychological scar on him and his family. The whole incident has exposed the dark underbelly of Arunachal. Once known for their secular credentials and welcoming attitude, the people of the state reacted with highly toxic communal hatred towards the Covid-19 patient. Having said that, the state government – the Lohit district administration in particular – have handled the whole situation tactfully, thereby avoiding any untoward incident.