COVID-19: Meghalaya’s count rises to 413 as 19 fresh cases reported

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 20, 2020

As many as 13 Border Security Force (BSF) troopers were among the 19 fresh cases of COVID-19 reported in the state on Monday.  

Director of Health Services (MI) Dr Aman War told reporters that 19 persons – 16 from East Khasi Hills and 2 from West Garo Hills and 1 from South West Garo Hills – have tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of active cases to 413.

He said 13 are BSF jawans and 3 others include a returnee from Khanapara area to Shillong and two are high risk contacts of a patient in ARC and a patient, who recently attended a wedding in Bihar.

Dr War informed that East Khasi Hills has a total of 356 active cases which include 278 from the BSF, 14 from the armed forces and 64 others.

There are 36 in Ri Bhoi, 13 in West Garo Hills, 2 in South West Garo Hills, 2 in South Garo Hills, 2 in East Jaintia Hills, 1 in East Garo Hills and 1 in North Garo Hills.

He said three patients have also recovered from the infection.

Stating that there no more returnees from the BSF into the state, Dr War said, “We are expecting to have more recoveries (in the coming days) especially from the BSF camps.”

He said majority of the patients are ‘asymptomatic’ except for one severe case whose condition however is improving.

Asked, the DHS informed that they are also trying to find out how the three health workers posted at the Byrnihat checkgate in Ri Bhoi contracted the virus.

“We find out whether it is because they had let their guards down (due to the weather condition while screening the returnees) or they have gone elsewhere and got infected,” he said.

One of the health workers had also attended the walk-in-interview for the data entry operator (DEO) at the DC’s office, Nongpoh.

“Contact tracing of the patient is still going on and all the candidates of the interview are still undergoing home quarantine,” Dr War said.

The state has recorded a total of 469 positive cases of which 52 have recovered from the dreaded virus while 4 people have so far succumbed to the disease.

Dr War informed out of the 28,455 swab samples sent for testing till date, 27466 have come out negative while results of 520 were awaited.

“There are 22,843 entrants to the state from outside till date,” he added.