Meghalaya records highest single-day spike of 182 new cases, 1 death

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 5, 2020

The state on Saturday recorded the highest single-day spike of 182 COVID-19 cases, taking the total of active cases in the state to 1,374.

The state’s death toll now stands at 15, after a 65-year-old man, who had tested positive for coronavirus, died in West Khasi Hills district.

Director of Health Services (MI), Dr Aman War said of the new cases, 121, including 15 health workers, 97 high risk cases, 5 armed forces/paramilitary forces (AF/PF) personnel, were detected from East Khasi Hills district.

He said the health workers include 7 nurses and 6 staff of the Shillong civil hospital and 2, including a doctor and a nurse of the Ganesh Das hospital.

“We are still investigating to find out the causes that led to these health workers contracting the viral infection,” he added.

Dr War informed that the cases detected in other districts include 14 shopkeepers and a high risk case at Rongjeng bazar in East Garo Hills district (totaling 15), 18 high risk cases and 13 AF/PF in Ri Bhoi district (31), a health worker, 2 high risk cases, 1 returnee, 1 ILI case and 7 AF/PF in West Garo Hills district (12), 1 retunee and 1 high risk case in North Garo Hills district (2) and a high risk case in West Khasi Hills district (1).

The senior medical officer also informed that an elderly patient identified as Khainsing Nongsiej (65) from Ksehkohlong under Mawthadraishan Block, succumbed to his illnesses before he could be referred to Shillong on Friday.

“Nongsiej was brought to Mairang civil hospital with complaints of breathing problems and on being tested with antigen, he turned out to be positive for COVID-19. However, due to the seriousness of his case, he was immediately referred to Shillong civil hospital for treatment but he passed away on the way,” he said.

Dr War further informed that a total of 59 persons, that include 48 from East Khasi Hills, 8 from West Garo Hills, 2 from Ri Bhoi and 1 from East Garo Hills, have recovered from the viral infection.

“With this, the total recoveries in the state has gone up to 1,527,” he said.

Asked, Dr War said as community spread has begun in the state, the health department has decided to identify and concentrate more on people having symptoms especially those with cormorbidities.

According to him, altogether there are 9 patients with comorbidities of which 2 are in Shillong civil hospital and 7 at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS).

“We knew that it is going to be like this and now we have to stress on the three cardinal messages which is mask, hygiene and social distancing – as these are the only medicines and we appeal to the citizens to follow all protocols strictly because if we don’t, we are only making ourselves vulnerable to the disease,” he said.

So far, the state has recorded a total of 2916 positive cases of which 1,374 are active and 15 have died due to the disease.

Of the total active cases, East Khasi Hills has the highest number of positive cases at 915 that includes 749 civilians and 166 AF/PF personnel, followed by West Garo Hills with 144 cases, 120 in Ri Bhoi, 97 in East Garo Hills, 31 in West Khasi Hills, 25 in East Jaintia Hills, 22 in South Garo Hills, 8 each in North Garo Hills and West Jaintia Hills, 3 in South West Garo Hills and 1 in South West Khasi Hills.

As of Thursday, a total of 97,550 have been tested, of which 94,418 were found to be negative and test results of 216 are awaited. There are 33,424 entrants from outside the state.