Meghalaya: 75 more tests positive for COVID-19, tally rises to 2,130

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 27, 2020

Seventy-five more persons, including 63 civilians, have tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, taking the total active cases in the state to 1,222.

The death toll in the state has also increased to nine after a 70-year-old man was declared dead at the Shillong civil hospital after he collapsed inside a bathroom, yesterday.

Director of Health Services (MI), Dr Aman War said 29 civilians, including 25 high risk contacts and 4 influenza like illnesses (ILI) were tested positive for the COVID-19 in East Khasi Hills district, while 27 were detected from the Rongjeng and Songsak random sampling tests in East Garo Hills district.

He said 15 cases were also detected in West Garo Hills district of which 11 are from the armed forces and paramilitary forces (AF/PF), 3 from Phulbari random testing and 1 is a returnee, 1 from Resubelpara random testing in North Garo Hills district, 2 from Mahendraganj random testing in South West Garo Hills district and 1 from from South Garo Hills district.

Dr War said that the health department has also decided that all positive cases, if died for any reasons, will be counted as COVID-19 deaths from now onwards.

“With this, the death toll in the state now stands at 9,” he said while informing that a call will also be taken with regards to the 47-year-old woman, who died at NEIGRIHMS hospital on July 28, as the case is yet to be counted.

Dr War further informed that 25 more persons have also recovered today, taking the total recoveries in the state to 899.

The newly recovered cases include 9 civilians and 1 AF/PF from Ri Bhoi, 4 AF/PF personnel from East Khasi Hills, 4 from North Garo Hills, 2 from South Garo Hills, 3 AF/PF and 1 civilian from West Garo Hills and 1 from West Jaintia Hills.

The state has so far recorded a total of 2,130 coronavirus cases of which 1,222 are active.

Of the total active cases in the state, East Khasi Hills is the worst affected district with 847 cases, that include 564 civilians and 283 AF/PF personnel, followed by West Garo Hills with 187 cases, including 114 AF/PF personnel and 73 civilians and Ri Bhoi with 68 cases of which 62 are civilians and 6 AF/PF.

In the other districts, West Khasi Hills has 43 cases, 39 in East Garo Hills, 12 in East Jaintia Hills, 2 in West Jaintia Hills, 3 in South West Garo Hills, 11 in South Garo Hills and 10 in North Garo Hills.

As of Thursday, a total of 81,012 samples have been sent for testing of which 78,431 were found to be negative while test results of 452 are awaited. There are 31,425 entrants from outside the state till date.

Meanwhile, sources informed that a former legislator was among the new positive cases in the Garo Hills region.