Meghalaya COVID-19 count crosses 1,811, death toll rises to 7

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 22, 2020

A 58-year-old COVID-19 patient died at the Shillong Civil Hospital on Saturday, taking the death toll in the state to 7, even as ninety-three more persons have tested positive for the virus, taking the total active cases in the state to 1,035.

Director of Health Services (MI), Dr Aman War said Ram Bashan Rai, a resident of Jhalupara, was admitted in the Shillong civil hospital on August 11, after being referred from Woodland hospital.

“(However), the patient (with comorbidities of diabetes mellitus and hypertension) passed away at 10.45 pm on August 21 and the cause of death was due to acute respiratory syndrome due to COVID-19,” Dr War said.

With this, he said the number of people who have died due to the infection, has now increased to 7.

Dr War also informed that 93 cases were also detected today, of which 66, including 45 civilians and 21 armed forces and paramilitary forces (AF/PF), are from East Khasi Hills district, 9 from West Garo Hills district, 10 from West Khasi Hills district, 2 from Ri Bhoi district, 2 from North Garo Hills districts and 4 from East Jaintia Hills district.  

He said the 45 civilians, who tested positive for COVID-19 in Shillong, include 10 from a random sampling conducted at Khlieh-Iew, 9 from Motphran, 9 from Anjalee, and 1 from Khyndailad, 1 is working at the Polo Collection Centre for COVID-19, 2 are influenza like illnesses (ILIs) and rest are contacts of positive cases.

He also said the 9 cases detected in West Garo Hills include 4 AF/PF, 3 from the Phulbari random testing and 2 are returnees while 10 from the Shahlang random testing in West Khasi Hills, two returnees and two high risk contacts in East Jaintia Hills and 2 ILIs cases in North Garo Hills.  

The senior medical officer further informed that 20 more patients, including 15 from West Garo Hills, 3 from East Khasi Hills and one each from West Jaintia Hills and Ri Bhoi, have also recovered today adding with this, the total recoveries in the state now stand at 769.

In total, the cases in East Khasi Hills, which is the worst affected district in the state, has gone up to 662, which include 419 civilians and 243 from the armed forces and paramilitary forces, 215 in West Garo Hills, 93 in Ri Bhoi, 28 in West Khasi Hills, 12 in North Garo Hills, 12 in East Jaintia Hills, 4 in South West Garo Hills, 3 in East Garo Hills, 3 in West Jaintia Hills, 2 in South Garo Hills and 1 in South West Khasi Hills.  

As of Saturday, a total of 72,409 samples have been sent for testing, of which 70,019 were found to be negative while test results of 579 are still awaited.

“There are over 30,005 entrants from outside the state till date,” Dr War said.

Meanwhile, the state has recorded a total of 1,811 positive COVID-19 cases which include 1,035 are active and seven deaths.