Meghalaya reports 121 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 9, 2020

Two elderly women have died due to COVID-19 at a city hospital, taking the death toll in the state to 19, while 121 fresh cases were detected on Wednesday.

Director of Health Services (MI), Dr Aman War said 58-year-old Usha Paul from Laban was declared brought dead at the Nazareth hospital on Tuesday night and her samples were tested positive for COVID-19. She had high blood pressure.

He said another patient, Debu Chettri (78) also passed away at 6 am on Wednesday in the same hospital due to COVID-19 pneumonia and hypertension.  

Dr War also informed that of the 121 new cases, 59 were detected from a random sampling at Star Cement factory in East Jaintia Hills district, 30 from East Khasi Hills district, 25 from West Garo Hills district, 4 from South Garo Hills district, 2 from Ri Bhoi district and 1 from West Khasi Hills district.

He said the break up of the new cases include 20 high risk cases, 3 random sampling at Keating Road, 2 Armed Forces/Paramilitary Forces (AF/PF), 4 influenza like illness (ILI) cases and 1 random sampling at police bazar in East Khasi Hills.

He said the cases detected in West Garo Hills include 11 AF/PF personnel, 10 from random sampling at Rongram Bazar (2), AOC Bazar (1), Babapara (6) and Phulbari (1), 3 high risk contacts and 1 returnee while 1 high risk and 1 AF/PF in Ri Bhoi, 4 are random sampling at Baghmara market in East Garo Hills and 1 high risk in West Khasi Hills.

Asked, Dr War said that the health department would issue advisory for temporary closure of the cement factory at Lumshnong following the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases.

The Director of Health Services further informed that as many as 107 persons have also recovered from the viral infection and these include 88 from East Khasi Hills, 4 each from East Jaintia Hills and North Garo Hills, 2 each from South West Garo Hills, Ri Bhoi and East Garo Hills and 5 from West Garo Hills.

The state has so far recorded a total of 3,197 positive cases of which 1,355 are active, 1,823 recoveries and 19 have died due to the disease.

East Khasi Hills has the highest number of active cases with 860 cases that include 708 civilians and 152 AF/PF personnel, followed by West Garo Hills with 193 cases, 117 in Ri Bhoi , 85 in East Jaintia Hills, 31 in West Khasi Hills, 23 in East Garo Hills, 20 in South Garo Hills, 11 in West Jaintia Hills, 9 in North Garo Hills, 5 in South West Garo Hills and 1 in South West Khasi Hills.

Till date, a total of 1,04090 have been tested of which 99,640 were negative while test results of 1,253 are awaited. There are 34,399 entrants from outside the state.