Meghalaya COVID-19: 44 identified as high risk contacts of positive wedding attendees

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 8, 2020

Over 44 people have been identified as high risk contacts of the two patients, who were tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a wedding ceremony at Greenwood Resort in Assam.

“Altogether 44 people were traced and all are high risk contacts of the two patients,” Director of Health Services (MI) Dr Aman War told reporters on Wednesday.

He said 23 people are high risk contacts of the first patient from Pynthorumkhrah and 21 are contacts of the second patient from Lachumiere.

Stating that the health department is expecting to trace more contacts, Dr War said, “Prior to us knowing that there was a wedding, these people were moving around and most of those who came in direct contact with them have been identified.”

He informed that samples of all the high risk contacts have been sent for testing and results are awaited.

It may be mentioned here that a total of 41 people have attended the wedding party held at Greenwood Resort on June 27, despite the government’s order prohibiting citizens to visit Assam.

Dr War said the two positive patients have been admitted at the Shillong Civil Hospital while the 39 others have been put in institutional quarantine centres.

The DHS said that the department has also issued a notice requesting people who may have come in direct contact with these people to register themselves with helpline number 108.

Asked, he however said there is no positive case reported from the Laban area so far.

Meanwhile, the state government will on Thursday take a decision based on the inquiry reports to be submitted by the deputy commissioners of the East Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi districts into the lapses that led to the incident.  

Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had maintained that anyone found responsible for the lapses and violating the government’s order will be put behind bars.