Meghalaya: Cancer patient dies of COVID-19, death toll rises to 77

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 21, 2020

A 57-year-old cancer patient died of COVID-19 on Wednesday, taking the death toll in the state to 77.

Wester Mawrie, a resident of Mawlynrei in East Khasi Hills district passed away at the Shillong civil hospital today at 4.20 am after he was admitted on October 19, Director of Health and Services (MI), Dr Aman War said.

“The cause of death was due to type-I respiratory failure due to COVID-19 pneumonia with cancer,” he said.

The state has also recorded 28 new cases and 177 new recoveries on Wednesday.

The new cases include 12 from East Khasi Hills district, 6 West Garo Hills district, 5 West Jaintia Hills district, 2 East Garo Hills district, 2 South Garo Hills district and 1 East Jaintia Hills district.

Out of the 177 recovered COVID-19 patients, Dr War said, 104 are from East Khasi Hills, 43 Ri Bhoi, 14 West Garo Hills, 7 North Garo Hills, 3 West Jaintia Hills, 2 South West Garo Hills, 2 South West Khasi Hills and 2 West Khasi Hills.

He said 6,674 COVID-19 patients have been discharged as on date.

The state has detected a total of 8,621 COVID-19 out of which 1,870 are active cases, 6,674 recovered and 77 deaths.

East Khasi Hills district tops the list of districts in positive cases with 1,229  infections, that include 26 Armed Forces and Paramilitary Forces and 1,203 civilians, followed by Ri Bhoi 191 and West Garo Hills 180.

In the other districts, 75 cases in West Jaintia Hills, 53 in East Garo Hills, 47 in West Khasi Hills, 38 in South Garo Hills, 19 in North Garo Hills, 18 in East Jaintia Hills, 11 in South West Khasi Hills and 9 in South West Garo Hills.

Over 885 persons are undergoing home quarantine and isolation while 532 persons are under institutional quarantine.

“Till date, swab samples of 1,91,490 persons have been tested of which 1,82,869 were found negative,” the senior medical official said.

There are 50,703 entrants from outside the state.