How One Himachal Man Avoided Covid While Entire Village Tested Positive

Chandigarh:

All residents of a distant village in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti district besides one examined optimistic for the coronavirus earlier this month in one of many worst outbreaks of COVID-19 within the mountainous area the place temperatures have dipped beneath zero.

While 41 individuals examined optimistic within the Thorang village, 52-year-old Bhushan Thakur stated he managed to keep away from the an infection by merely following the essential security measures.

“The main reason that I tested negative was that I use a mask and sanitizer and maintain social distancing,” he stated.

“Six people in my family too are positive. I have isolated myself from them, I cook my own food and they are in a different room. The main reason for the spread of coronavirus here is the cold because it makes most people huddle in one room in front of the fireplace,” he added.

Deputy Commissioner of Lahaul-Spiti district Pankaj Rai stated, “The population of the village is around 160. Due to winter people from the village moved out to other places. So, the remaining 42 were tested on November 13 out of which 41 tested positive.”

Most residents of Thorang village had migrated elsewhere for the winters and 41 of 42 individuals remaining contracted the coronavirus.

The villagers have been examined once more on Saturday and a few of them have examined detrimental now, he stated.

According to Mr Rai, a non secular gathering was held on October 13 within the village and that will have been the explanation for the an infection’s unfold.

“We can’t ascertain the exact reason but due to change in weather conditions the movement of people increased and maybe that could also be one of the reasons,” he added.

ML Bandhu, a authorities physician within the district stated, “All people who have tested positive are alright. No one is in a serious condition. But we have asked for a door-to-door survey to find out whether anyone has comorbidities.”

Earlier in October, 39 residents of Rangrik village of Spiti valley had examined optimistic for the an infection.

Many residents of Lahaul-Spiti typically migrate to the neighbouring Kullu district within the winter due to the intense chilly, a district official stated.

A complete of 890 individuals of Lahaul-Spiti district, accounting for about 2.83 per cent of its inhabitants of round 31,500, have been discovered contaminated with coronavirus up to now, based on state division information. Of them, 479 have been cured whereas 406 are nonetheless recovering from the illness. Five individuals have died.

More than 33,000 individuals have examined optimistic for the coronavirus until date in Himachal Pradesh with the state slowly opening to vacationers. Of them, 518 have died, over 26,000 have been cured and the variety of lively instances is 7,070.