Family hid travel history of 1st deceased’s nephew

Sarfaraz Ahmed | TNN | Apr 14, 2020, 04:48 IST

Nagpur: The city’s first Covid-19 deceased’s 53-year-old nephew, who runs a Haj and Umrah tour agency, has emerged as the only person so far to have extensive travel history since February. Surprisingly the family and close contacts from Satranjipura had kept this information away from Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).
Till date, NMC is clueless about the source of infection to the 68-year-old Satranjipura man who passed away on April 5. The deceased and most of those so far found positive, except the tour operator, have no travel history.
NMC containment team relied on statements of 68-year-old victim’s family and close contacts. NMC officials had ‘cushion works’ in their records as the profession of tour operator. He was picked up on April 6 and tested positive on April 11.
He had taken a group of seven clients for Umrah tour to Mecca in Saudi Arabia from February 4 to 14. He then travelled to Rae Bareilly with his seven friends by car on March 19, a close relative confirmed to TOI.
A friend’s marriage, solemnized at Bareilly, too seems to have gone unreported. It was only after TOI tip off that NMC team discovered the man had travelled to Mecca and Bareilly.
Fortunately, the groom, the bride and baraatis were already quarantined in MLA Hostel as they were traced in Delhi digital list. They too have been tested and results are awaited.
The containment team also contacted the tour operator’s friends who had gone to Bareilly. They too are likely to be tested and quarantined. No decision on the Umrah pilgrims was taken.
Tour operator’s wife, three children and mother have been tested and are under quarantine. The tour operator is son-in-law of the deceased’s elder brother. They used to meet frequently.
Two deaths in the country have been linked to Saudi Arabia pilgrimage tours. On March 11, a 76-year-old man, who became India's first Covid-19 casualty, had travelled to Saudi Arabia. On March 14, a 45-year-old passed away in Buldhana, had no travel history but his locality had many people who had travelled to Saudi Arabia.
Soon after the deceased passed away, the tour operator reportedly pulled down all promotional material from social media. The website of the tour and travels too has temporarily shut. Some community members found this suspicious.
Initially, NMC had assumed the newphew had contracted the infection during last rites of his uncle. But others who attended the funeral didn’t test positive. With the travel history coming to fore, that theory is being ruled out.
NMC addl medical offer health Dr Pravin Gantawar didn't answer TOI’s queries.
Unanswered queries
* NMC knew about travel agency of nephew but didn't check his passport or travel details from other agencies
* Why did NMC rely on verbal submissions of suspects
* Bareilly marriage connection wasn't investigated too
* No plan to trace seven Umrah pilgrims whom the tour operator accompanied