Meghalaya reports 57 new COVID-19 cases, tally rises to 1,718

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 21, 2020

Fifty-seven more persons, including fifty civilians, have tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, taking the total active cases in the state to 963.

Director of Health Services (MI), Dr Aman War said of the 57 new cases, 33 were detected from East Khasi Hills district, 17 from West Khasi Hills district, 3 from West Garo Hills district, 2 from East Garo Hills district and one each from West Jaintia Hills district and Ri Bhoi district.

Giving a break up of the cases district wise, Dr War said the 33 cases in East Khasi Hills include 31 civilians – 7 from random sampling test conducted at Khlieh-Iew, 12 at Motphran, 8 at Anjalee, 1 at Khyndailad, 1 returnee, 1 patient at Ganesh Das hospital, 1 patient at Woodland hospital – and two armed forces personnel.

He said a total of 17 persons, who mostly are from Assam, were tested positive for COVID-19 during a random testing conducting a Shahlang in West Khasi Hills, 2 cases in East Garo Hills are returnees and 1 case in Ri Bhoi is also a returnee.

The Director also informed that 19 more patients (Ri Bhoi -10, East Khasi Hills -5, West Khasi Hills -2, West Garo Hills -1, and West Jaintia Hills -1) have recovered today adding with this, the total recoveries in the state has increased to 749.

Of the 963 active cases in the state, Dr War said a total of 583 are civilians and 380 are from the armed forces and paramilitary forces.

East Khasi Hills has the highest number of positive cases at 599 of which 376 are civilians and 223 are from armed forces and paramilitary forces, followed by West Garo Hills with 221 cases and 92 in Ri Bhoi.

In the other districts, West Khasi Hills now have 18 cases, 10 in North Garo Hills, 8 in East Jaintia Hills, 5 in West Jaintia Hills, 4 in South West Garo Hills, 3 in East Garo Hills, 2 in South Garo Hills and 1 in South West Khasi Hills.

The state has so far recorded a total of 1,718 COVID-19 positive cases including six deaths.

As of Friday, a total of 70,413 samples have been sent for testing of which 42,378 were found to be negative through RT-PCR test and 24,978 through Cbnaat, Truenaat and Rapid Antigent Test (RAT), while test results of 339 are awaited.

“There are a total of 29,873 entrants from outside the state till date,” Dr War said. 

Asked, the Director said that increased in the number of samples collected was due to the random testing conducted in the different parts of the state including Shillong city.