A 24-year-old youth travelled through forests and tea estates of the Dooars on a motorcycle on Friday to reach a designated Covid hospital here after he tested positive for the novel coronavirus, deciding against putting his relatives with whom he had been staying at risk.

The youth, a paramedical student of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, had been staying at a relative’s place in Nagrakata, 55km from here, for the past few days. Sources said the youth had shown symptoms of the coronavirus and his swab sample was collected on Tuesday. The results, which came on Friday, showed that he had contracted the infection.

“The block health officials of Nagrakata informed him that he had tested positive. He soon decided to head for the Covid-19 hospital that has been set up at the Biswa Bangla Krirangan in Jalpaiguri,” said an acquaintance of the youth.

The youth immediately took out his bike and rode through tea gardens and areas on the fringes of Gorumara National Park and Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary.

“He was alert and did not stop anywhere on the way. He stopped only at the entrance of the Covid hospital, where guards spoke to him,” said Gayaram Naskar, the superintendent of Jalpaiguri district hospital.

Health employees posted at the hospital said the youth had acted responsibly. He walked away from the entrance, maintained a distance with the guards and said that he should be admitted to the hospital.

“The guards were initially perplexed and called paramedics and others posted at the hospital. The youth informed them that he had tested corona positive and felt it was necessary to reach the hospital at the earliest. He also urged the paramedics to take necessary precautions before taking him inside,” Naskar added.