COVID-19: 2 more dies in Meghalaya, death toll rises to 87

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 29, 2020

Two persons, who tested positive for COVID-19, died in a city hospital, taking the death toll in the state to 87 on Thursday.

62-year-old Lalbahadur Waiba, a resident of 29 Cantonment Colony, Anjalee Beat House passed away at the Supercare on October 14, while 45-year-old Belingstar Lyngkhoi from Langsymphut, Mawsynram died in the same hospital on October 28, Director of Health Services (MI), Dr Aman War told reporters.

He said Waiba was a known case of hypertension, diabetes and chronic kidney disease and on being admitted on October 12 was tested positive for COVID-19. The patient however succumbed to his illnesses due to acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Lyngkhoi on the other hand was admitted at Supercare hospital and found to be positive for the viral infection on October 18. “The cause of death was due to post cholecystectomy status with choledocholithiasis with cholangitis and sepsis with multi-organ failure,” he said.

Asked, Dr War said 80 percent of the patients have died due to comorbidities but however they were positive for COVID-19.

On the steps taken to reduce the fatality rate, the director of health services informed that the department has collected statistics of elderly persons and patients with comorbidities.

“Now our health workers are going for house to house awareness to eliminate the fear factor of going to the hospitals in case such patients have symptoms. Due to the appeal, people now are coming forward to get medical attention as soon as they are showing symptoms,” he said.

Asserting that prevention is the only cure for COVID-19, Dr War also urged people to avoid or wear masks, if they are in contact with family members who are patients with comorbidities including diabetes mellitus.  

The state has also recorded recovery of 130 COVID-19 patients and 77 new cases on Thursday.

The new cases include 40 from East Khasi Hills district, 15 West Garo Hills district, 9 East Garo Hills district, 6 Ri Bhoi district, 2 East Jaintia Hills district, 2 West Jaintia Hills district, 1 South Garo Hills district, 1 South West Garo Hills district and 1 South West Khasi Hills district.

Out of the 130 recovered COVID-19 patients, Dr War said, 89 are from East Khasi Hills, 13 Ri Bhoi, 8 West Garo Hills, 2 West Jaintia Hills and 1 North Garo Hills.

He said 7,890 COVID-19 patients have been discharged as on date.

The state has detected a total of 9,303 COVID-19 out of which 1,326 are active cases, 7,890 recovered and 87 deaths.

East Khasi Hills district tops the list of districts in positive cases with 719 infections, that include 20 Armed Forces and Paramilitary Forces and 699 civilians, followed by West Garo Hills 180 and Ri Bhoi 163.

In the other districts, 94 cases in West Jaintia Hills, 56 in East Garo Hills, 50 in West Khasi Hills, 20 in South Garo Hills, 16 in North Garo Hills, 19 in East Jaintia Hills, 3 in South West Khasi Hills and 6 in South West Garo Hills.

“Till date, swab samples of 2,00,391 persons have been tested of which 1,91,088 were found negative,” the senior medical official said.

There are 52,957 entrants from outside the state.