66 samples tested negative for COVID-19

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 3, 2020

Meghalaya Government adopts 3-pronged strategy to prevent spread of coronavirus

 The state government is adopting a three-pronged preemptive strategy to combat and prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state, officials said.

At least 66 samples collected from suspected COVID-19 carriers have been tested negative in the state, they said.

Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters on Friday that Meghalaya can be treated as a ‘coronavirus free state’ since there has not been a single case detected so far.

“The credit goes to all the government functionaries and community-based functionaries without whom I don’t think we will be able to fight this disease which is very dangerous to all of us,” Tynsong said.

The deputy chief minister also expressed his thankfulness to the different levels of government machineries that are making selfless sacrifices to ensure that the COVID-19 disease does not enter the state.

On the other hand, Commissioner & Secretary in-charge Health & Family Welfare Sampath Kumar informed that the state government is working on a three-pronged preemptive strategy to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 in the state.

He said the first strategy is tracking the transmission chain, which has already started since January 24.

According to him, there are around 7,700 people including students who have come from affected countries and places within the country and are under self-quarantine.

“They are being monitored on a daily basis. There are over 400 medical volunteers working online and are also giving counseling (to such people). Yesterday, more than 500 calls are being made to people who are under home quarantine,” Kumar said.

Of these, he said those are suspected to have symptoms of COVID-19 are being taken for testing. “A total of 66 people have so far been tested and fortunately all have been found to be negative,” the senior official informed.  

Kumar further said that the state is also preparing its entire capacity in case of eventuality. “We have taken many hospitals on board and have also laid down protocol. If there is an infected case, we have categorized them into four categories.”

The four categories include – Category A- Asymptomatic patients but positive, Category B- Mildly Symptomatic patients, Category C- Severe Symptomatic patients (need hospitalisation support) and Category D- Critical patients (need ICU and ventilator support needed)

For Category A&B, Corona Care Centres have been set up with 275 Quarantine beds and 293 Corona Centre beds across the State.

The Corona Care Centres have been identified as IIM, Shillong, MATI, Mawdiangdiang, MIIT, Dhankheti, Pastoral Centre, Tura and SMELC, Tura.

For Category C, there are 458 beds available without ventilators but which are equipped with oxygen supply.

For Category D, 64 beds ICU with ventilators have been identified. This is a significant improvement as the State initially had only 4 ventilators and now has a total of 64 ventilators.

In case of any surge capacity, the state is equipped to handle 70 critical patients at any given point of time.

The State has also designated Civil Hospital, Shillong as a COVID hospital in case of any surge.

The commissioner & secretary further informed that currently, the state is having more than 7,000 personal protection equipments (PPEs).

With the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) being the only testing centre for COVID-19 in the state, Kumar said that the government is also contemplating to set up a testing centre at Tura in West Garo Hills District.