Random test positive man infects 15 others in Bahrain

Contact tracing is underway after it emerged 15 people were infected by a Bangladeshi man who tested positive for Covid-19 during random sampling.

The 36-year-old man (case 671) infected 15 others of the same nationality, who all lived in the same building, according to the Health Ministry’s website dedicated to Covid-19 updates.

Contract tracing of the infected cases (case 675 and cases 677 to 690) are ongoing, said the ministry.

The GDN has learned that the men are among 40 foreign workers who live in six rooms at a two-storey building in Manama, near Lulu Road.

The 36-year-old Bangladeshi man was tested during a random sampling drive on Friday, while the rest of the men were evacuated from the building and tested at the screening facility at Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIECC) the same night.

The men are labourers, carpenters and others who worked at sites in multiple areas including Mahooz, Ras Ruman and near Alba Industrial Area.

Meanwhile, the ministry said last night that random tests for Covid-19 are being conducted across the country by health personnel, supported by the Civil Defence and community police.

Areas covered include Block 303 and locations with labour accommodation in Hidd and Alba Industrial Area, as well as areas near private hospitals in the Capital Governorate and Muharraq Governorate.

“These locations were chosen for the random Covid-19 testing to ensure the safety of those residing in these areas and the safety of all citizens and residents,” said the ministry in a statement.

“The medical teams will continue the field visits to take samples and conduct laboratory testing.”

The statement added that the Civil Defence is carrying out regular disinfection and sterilisation of some of these areas, while the Health Ministry called upon the public to co-operate in maintaining cleanliness of the surroundings.

Details of 57 cases, including the Bangladeshi men, were revealed yesterday on the ministry’s contact tracing website.

This includes 38 Bahrainis, one Portuguese national, a Sri Lankan man and an Indian national.

Of the Bahrainis, 20 individuals (cases 644 to 649 and cases 651 to 664) are among those who were evacuated from Iran on Thursday under the ministry’s International Covid-19 Repatriation Programme (ICRP).

Quarantine

Two other women, aged 23 and 30, (cases 665 and 666), arrived from Iran on March 20 and were tested positive in quarantine.

Meanwhile, nine more cases have been linked to the Jannusan ma’tam, including five more children.

Two of them (cases 667 and 699) attended the ma’atam, while the remaining came in contact with those infected.

Among the children are two aged one year (cases 668 and 697), a four-year-old girl (case 695), a 10-year-old boy (case 694) and a 15-year-old girl (case 698).

The two others are a 67-year-old woman (case 673) and a 39-year-old woman (case 696).

The ministry said that contact tracing is ongoing in all these cases.

This takes the total number of Covid-19 cases reported among people who attended the condolence meeting in North Jannusan between March 9 and 11 to 50 individuals, while another 59 individuals contracted the virus from those who attended the gathering.

The other cases detailed on the website yesterday include a 19-year-old man (case 669) who returned from the US on Thursday, two 19-year-old men (case 676 and case 672) who returned from the UK on March 21 and 16 respectively, and a 20-year-old man (case 700) who arrived from the UK on March 18.

All were tested positive after completing the home quarantine period.

A 63-year-old man (case 674), a 35-year-old man (case 691) and 35-year-old woman (case 692) were tested positive after developing symptoms. Contact tracing is ongoing in all these cases, added the ministry.

While the Indian man (case 650) arrived in Bahrain from India on March 19, the Portuguese man (case 693) arrived from the UK on March 29.

Both were tested positive after home quarantine, while the Sri Lankan man (case 670) came from the US on April 1 and was tested positive on arrival.

raji@gdn.com.bh

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