Meghalaya: Teenager dies of COVID-19, 168 fresh cases detected

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 12, 2020

A teenager, who tested positive for COVID-19, died at a city hospital, taking the death toll to 25 even as 168 new cases were detected on Saturday.

15-year-old Welldoneboy Marbaniang, a resident of Mawpat Circle-I was brought to the H Gordon Robert Hospital on September 10, Director of Health Services (MI), Dr Aman War said.

The deceased was diagnosed with undifferentiated febrile illness, acute respiratory syndrome with septic shock.

“Due to the severity of the disease, he succumbed to his illness at around 5.30 am on September 10. The patient was tested positive with RT-PCR, the report of which came after his death,” Dr War told reporters.  

He said contact tracing is being done to ensure all high risk contacts are tested for COVID-19.

Asked, Dr War said the health department has decided to focus on increasing its testing capacity and provide early treatment to symptomatic cases especially giving special emphasis to elderly patients and those with comorbidities.

A survey has also been taken up to identify all patients with comorbidities in order to reduce the mortality rate due to COVID-19 in the state.

Of the 168 fresh cases, the senior medical officer informed 124 were detected from East Khasi Hills district, 17 from West Garo Hills district, 14 from Ri Bhoi district, 4 from South West Khasi Hills district and one each from West Khasi Hills district and East Garo Hills district.

He said cases in Shillong include five health workers including three doctors – one from Ganesh Das hospital and 2 from MATI corona care centres, 61 high risk cases, 6 influenza like illness (ILI) cases, 45 AF/PF personnel, 2 severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases, 2 civilians, 2 returnees and 1 Asha Bhavan while the cases in East Jaintia Hills include 3 from Star Cement cluster, 1 Umtyra Residential School and 3 returnees, 4 random sampling, 4 high risk cases, 3 returnees and 6 BSF in West Garo Hills, 8 AF/PF, 5 high risk cases, 1 returnee in Ri Bhoi.

He said five of the thirty-seven random sampling at Khyndai-Lad came out positive while almost the whole of Keating Road area has been declared as a containment zone due to detection of many positive cases.

At least, 17 journalists were also tested negative during the rapid antigen test conducted on Saturday.

Dr War also informed that 131 more persons, including 10 from West Garo Hills, 21 from West Khasi Hills, 92 from East Khasi Hills and 8 from Ri Bhoi, have recovered on Saturday.

So far, the state has recorded a total of 3,615 positive cases out of which 1570 are active, 2,020 recovered and 25 have died due to the disease.

East Khasi Hills has the highest number of active cases with 994 cases that include 804 civilians and 190 AF/PF, followed by West Garo Hills with 211 cases, 146 in East Jaintia HIlls, 130 in Ri Bhoi, 20 in South Garo Hills, 17 in East Garo Hills, 14 in West Khasi Hills, 13 in West Khasi Hills, 12 in North Garo Hills, 8 in South West Garo Hills and 5 in South West Khasi Hills.

Till date, a total of 1,12,221 samples have been tested of which 1,07,737 are negative while test results of 869 are awaited. There are 35,165 entrants from outside the state.