Shariatpur man tests Covid-19 positive 3 days after ‘fleeing’ from home

A 35-year-old man in Shariatpur reportedly fled his house after his samples were collected to test for Covid-19, three days before his test results came back positive for the virus today.

The man was also arrested in connection with a dowry case on April 30, and was released the same day on bail as he needed to be in quarantine, having returned from Covid-19 hotspot Narayanganj.

After the report came back positive, local administration officials went to his house in Goshairhat upazila in the district to arrange for his treatment but found that he left the village three days ago, our correspondent reports quoting officials. 

Dr Md Abdur Rashid, medical officer (disease control) of Shariatpur Civil Surgeon's Office, confirmed the matter to The Daily Star at noon today.

"The icddr,b today confirmed that the man, hailing from Alaolpur union in Goshairhat upazila, tested positive for coronavirus," Dr Rashid said.

"He returned to his village from Narayanganj last week. So we collected his samples for coronavirus test on May 1 and sent the samples to icddr,b," the official added.

"After being informed about his coronavirus test report, we rushed to his village. But we came to know from his family that the man has not been seen in the village for last three days," Molla Shoheb Ali, officer-in-charge of Goshairhat Police Station, said.

On April 30, police arrested the man in connection with a dowry case. He got bail from a Shariatpur court, the OC added.

"The Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court in Shariatpur sent the man to jail in a dowry case after he was produced before the court on April 30. The court also asked the authorities of Shariatpur District Jail to submit a report about the accused then," said Assistant Sub-Inspector Shahidul Islam, also a general recording officer of the Shariatpur court.

"On that day, the jail authorities submitted a report before the court, stating that the man came to his village from Narayanganj recently. Later, a petition was also filed with the court seeking bail, and the man was released on bail and instructed to stay in home quarantine," the ASI added.