Over 60 of Kanika Kapoor's contacts test negative for coronavirus
What's the story
After Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), over 60 of her contacts have tested negative. Kapoor had sparked panic after she was tested positive as the 41-year-old singer had attended parties, where Member of Parliament Dushyant Singh was also a guest. Reportedly, over 260 of her contacts have been traced. Here are more details.
Details
63 samples of people in touch with Kapoor test negative
According to The Times of India, swab samples of people who came in contact with Kapoor were tested and 63 samples have tested negative thus far. Among the people who tested negative are Dushyant Singh and his mother and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. NDTV journalist Sonal Mehrotra Kapoor, who is the singer's sister-in-law, said she and her family have also tested negative.
Contact tracing
266 contacts traced; process complete, says official
Uttar Pradesh Surveillance Officer Vikasendu Agarwal told The Indian Express that they have traced and contacted 266 people from all over India who came in contact with Kapoor, including 106 in the past 24 hours. "I don't think we have more people to trace," Agarwal said. Earlier, reports said that authorities could not trace Kapoor's friend, Mumbai-based entrepreneur Ojas Desai.
Backstory
Kapoor tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from London
Kapoor had returned to Mumbai from London on March 9 and reached Lucknow two days later. She attended at least three parties. On March 20, she tested positive for COVID-19 and claimed she had developed symptoms just four days before. The Taj Hotel, where she stayed, has been shut. She is being treated at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS).
Police case
Kapoor booked for negligence on Lucknow CMO's complaint
It was alleged that Kapoor ditched screening upon arrival in India. She was booked for negligence. An FIR was filed under Sections 188, 269, and 270 of the Indian Penal Code based on a complaint from Lucknow Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Narendra Agarwal. It claimed that on March 14, Kapoor was detected with "high viral load" and was advised home quarantine which was "disregarded."
Inconsistencies
Lucknow CMO admits to lapses in his complaint
However, the CMO has since admitted to lapses in the complaint. Kapoor was screened at the Mumbai international airport on March 11 and not Lucknow's Amausi airport on March 14 as claimed in the complaint. Notably, passengers are only thermal-screened at airports, and no confirmatory test for COVID-19 is conducted, as claimed in the complaint. Her age was incorrectly mentioned as 28.
Quote
Kapoor refuted allegations of negligence
Kapoor has outright denied any negligence on her part. She told TOI, "How is it possible for a person to skip screening at immigration while coming on an international flight? I was properly screened at the Mumbai airport." She added, "One can check that at that time there was no advisory issued by the government on anyone traveling from abroad to be under self-quarantine."
Information
'I pestered authorities; they took things lightly'
Kapoor also told the publication that it was she who approached state health authorities and "pestered" them to get herself tested. She said the authorities "were taking things lightly," claiming they took three days to collect her sample.
Other developments
Kapoor's family raise doubts about medical report
Speaking to Hindustan Times, singer Indeep Bakshi defended Kapoor and backed her version of events. The two had talked about the alleged laxity exhibited by health authorities over text, Bakshi said. Meanwhile, Kapoor's family has raised doubts about the singer's medical report. They said the report incorrectly mentions her age as '28' and her gender as 'male'.