Ayush doctor among 27 new COVID-19 cases, tally at 1142

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 11, 2020

Twenty-seven more persons, including an Ayush doctor, have tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, taking the tally of active cases in the state to 626.

Director of Health Services (MI), Dr Aman War said of the 27 new cases, 8 are from East Khasi Hills district, 8 from Ri Bhoi district, 7 from West Garo Hills district, 2 from North Garo Hills district, 1 from West Jaintia Hills district and 1 from South West Khasi Hills district.

He said the cases detected in East Khasi Hills include an Ayush doctor, who is having COVID-19 duty at the Shillong civil hospital,  a staff nurse and a contact of a positive case at NEIGRIHMS hospital, a tourist taxi driver, 2 CRPF, 1 BSF jawan and 1 Armed Force.

In Ri Bhoi, Dr War said 6 positive cases are from the CMJ Breweries, Byrnihat, a forest guard and his contact adding that the CMJ Breweries is now called a cluster as in total, there are 18 positive cases detected after an operator was tested positive for the virus recently.  

He said 7 are BSF troopers in West Garo Hills, a staff nurse at the Dr Normal Tunnel Hospital, Jowai in West Jaintia Hills, 2 returnees from West Bengal in North Garo Hills, and a returnee from Gujarat in South West Khasi Hills.

Asked, the Director said that the Ayush doctor is not involved in seeing COVID-19 patients. “We  are investigating as how the doctor has contracted the virus,” he said.

Relating to the staff nurse at the privately run hospital in Jowai, he said that contact tracing is being done right now.

According to him, over 75 health workers including doctors and nurses have infected by the COVID-19 disease so far in the state.

With regards to the random testing conducted in 71 clusters across the state, Dr War said so far there has been no one tested positive during the massive exercise.

He further informed that 12 more patients have recovered today, taking the total recoveries in the state to 510. The new recovered cases include 11 in East Khasi Hills of which six are civilians, four are BSF troopers and 1 Armed Force, 1 from West Khasi Hills.

Of the 626 active cases in the state, the Director informed that East Khasi Hills has 425 cases that include 268 civilians, 88 BSF troopers and 69 Armed Forces personnel.

There are 93 cases in Ri Bhoi, 72 in West Garo Hills, 16 in West Jaintia Hills, 6 in East Jaintia Hills, 5 in West Khasi Hills, 4 in North Garo Hills, 2 in South West Garo Hills, 2 in South Garo Hills and 1 in South West Khasi Hills.

As of Tuesday, a total of 41,509 samples have been sent for testing of which 40,058 were found to be negative while test results of 309 are awaited. There are 26,990 entrants from outside till date.

Meanwhile, the state has registered a total of 1,142 COVID-19 positive cases of which 6 have died due to the disease.