Kupwara, April 19 (GNS): Braving weather vagaries and harsh terrain, a team of technicians from district hospital Kupwara on Sunday returned to the district headquarters after collecting samples of COVID-19 suspects from the remote Tangdhar valley of the border district.
A six-member team on April 6 was deputed to Tangdhar village located very close to the Line of Control (LoC) to bring samples of suspected COVID-19 patients, two days after the village reported first coronavirus case. The team faced weather vagaries and hostile terrain to reach Tanghdar and collect samples for investigations.
“We started our journey on April 6 and it took us two days to reach the village. Our trip was hampered by snowslides, heavy rains and tough terrain,” a team member, wishing not to be named told GNS.
“We started collecting samples at GDC Tangdhar from April 9 to April 17. We collected samples of around 200 people during our two week stay there,” he added.
Out of the samples collected by the special anti-COVID team, six tested positive.
The return journey, he said was equally difficult because of unpredictable weather conditions.
“We started our journey back on April 18. However, we got stranded at Khooni Nallah near Sadhna Top due to heavy snowfall and snowslides for at least two hours,” he said.
The team, he said started journey on foot and covered three kilometer stretch amid bone chilling cold.
“After walking through snow-covered road for hours, an ambulance was sent from Kupwara by the department that ferried us back,” he said, adding “This tough journey will always remind us that we have to do our job come what may. It was a learning experience,” Meanwhile, the officials have put all the team members under quarantine at the Chandigam rest house after their return from Tangdhar. (GNS)