A 40-year-old man, who returned from Assam after seven years by flight on Monday and was quarantined, expired the same day around 11.18 pm.
According to chief medical officer, Bishnupur Dr L Gojendra, a sample for COVID-19 test had been collected but report is still awaited.
The man was kept in the Nambol Higher Secondary School Community Quarantine Centre as per COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedure.
In the release signed by CMO Dr Gojendro, it said that the man was under treatment for multiple viral infections since September 2013 in Guwahati and he had multiple organ failure because of his prolonged diseases.
After observing that his health condition was very poor, district surveillance officer Dr L Raichandra and medical officer (i/c) CHC, Nambol Dr L Kuber took care of the patient till late at night, the release added.
As the test report is still awaited, the medical team worked on the assumption of handling a COVID-19 positive body, so the body was wrapped, disinfected and was taken to a crematorium in an ambulance.
However, there is very little risk of COVID-19 spreading from a dead body, a health department official said.
“COVID-19 is spread by droplets from cough and sneeze of an infected person. There is very little risk of spreading from a dead body,” the official said in the release
It also stated, “in spite of the fact that he is not yet declared positive, all due care is being taken to protect the family members and community because of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.”
The release added, if the sample of the deceased or his wife who accompanied him is tested positive, all the close contact with them will be tested for COVID-19. As a precautionary measure, all the close contacts are kept in a community quarantine centre.
On Monday, the state reported 17 new COVID-19 positive cases, taking the total tally to 1,626, according to a release from the COVID-19 Common Control Room.
Of the 17 new cases, nine were from Senapati, five from Imphal East and three from Churachandpur. They were shifted to Covid Care Facilities at JNIMS and RIMS and all necessary medical precautionary measures like containment and contact tracing were in place, the release added.
