ITANAGAR: The lone COVID-19 patient in Arunachal Pradesh has tested negative for the second time after his swab sample was sent to Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) at Dibrugarh in Assam within 24 hours on Wednesday, making the state free from any coronavirus case.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu in a tweet stated that "the first positive #COVID 19 case of Arunachal Pradesh has tested negative (twice) after conducting 3rd and 4th test consecutively. The number of positive case in state is now zero."
The man from Medo village in Lohit district had tested positive on April 1 and 7 last after two tests conducted with decrease in viral load.
However, his third test was done on April 14 when it was found negative, state Health Secretary P Prathiban said on Thursday.
"As per protocol the sample was collected and sent for test within 24 hour and the result came out as a major relief to the state as he has recovered," Prathiban said.
The health secretary added that the person who has been kept in an isolation ward at Tezu zonal hospital would be discharged on Friday.
"Since the person want to go for quarantine for another 14 days, the health authorities in the district will keep him in a quarantine facility," Prathiban added.
The patient is as of now asymptomatic and is reported to be without any physical discomfort.
He is given regular counselling, Lohit District Medical Officer Dr S Chai Pul said.
Lohit is the only district in the state to register a positive case of the virus with one migrant from Medo village who had attended the congregation at Delhis Nizamuddin in March last returning back.
The Tablighi Jamaat gathering turned out to be a major source of spread of the virus in different parts of the country.