Agartala, April 24: Tripura has become the third state in India to become COVID-19 free after Goa and Manipur. Tripura has become coronavirus free after the recovery of the second case, making it the second northeastern state to be free from the deadly virus. According to Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb two cases were recorded in the state of which the first case had recovered earlier and the second patient was discharged after testing negative in repeat tests.

"Update! The second corona patient of Tripura has been found negative after consecutive tests. Hence, our state has become corona free. I request everyone to maintain social distancing and follow government guidelines. Stay home stay safe. Update at 08:20 pm, April 23," Deb tweeted. Manipur Becomes Second State in India to Become COVID-19 Free. 

Here's the Tweet by Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb:

The first COVID-19 patient in Tripura was a woman from Udaipur town in Gomati district. She had returned from Guwahati before lockdown and had tested positive for the coronavirus infection on April 6. The patient was  released from isolation on April 16. She was later shifted to a quarantine centre at Gomati district.

The second patient was a Tripura State Rifles (TSR) jawan, who had tested positive for COVID-19 at Damcherra in North Tripura on April 16. He was later admitted at GB Pant Hospital here, where he tested negative for the virus on Thursday. The state now has 111 coronavirus suspects under surveillance and 227 others have been placed under home quarantine.

The Chief Minister of Tripura thanked all frontline warriors for their efforts in making Tripura COVID-19 free."I thank all the doctors, healthcare staffs, all frontline warriors and public for making Tripura a corona free state. By maintaining social distancing and proper guidelines we shall try our best to maintain this. May Mata Tripurasundari bless us," he said in another tweet.

Earlier this month on April 15, Tripura Health Secretary Debasish Basu said that the state's first COVID-19 positive patient, who was under treatment at GB Hospital in Agartala, was discharged after being tested negative for the virus.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 24, 2020 08:23 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).