Meghalaya’s COVID-19 tally rises to 495

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 24, 2020

The state has reported the highest single-day spike of 52 coronavirus cases on Friday.

The total COVID-19 positive cases in the state stand at 587 including 495 active cases.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Alexander L Hek said the new cases detected includes  47 from East Khasi Hills district – out of which nine are BSF personnel, seven Armed Forces personnel and 31 civilians – three from West Jaintia Hills and two from East Jaintia Hills.

He said a total of 87 patients have so far recovered from the infection while five have succumbed due to the disease after a 67-year old woman died at NEIGRIHMS. 

Shillong, the district headquarters of East Khasi Hills as well as Meghalaya’s state Capital, is the worst hit COVID-19 district as it accounts for 419 out of the 495 active cases in the state. The BSF has 287 active cases.

In other districts, the numbers are Ri-Bhoi-41, East Jaintia Hills-4, West Jaintia Hills-8, West Garo Hills-15, South West Garo Hills-2, East Garo Hills-1, North Garo Hills-1.

On the other hand, Director of Health Services (MI) Dr Aman War informed three doctors to have tested positive for the virus which includes a senior Anaesthesiologist at Shillong Civil Hospital, a doctor from the orthopaedic ward in NEIGRIHMS and a doctor from Nazareth hospital.

He said the others who contracted the infection include an attendant (a daughter) of the elderly woman, who passed away at NEIGRIHMS, three high risk contacts of the patients, who attended the wedding at Greenwood Resort, two from Bethany hospital, 4 from Robert hospital, eleven returnees and others.

Asked, Dr War said that the department is on the job to conduct contact tracing and to find out from where the elderly victim had contracted the disease.

COVID-19 claimed its 5th victim in Meghalaya

“With the lockdown being reimposed in the state capital, we are hopeful that we will be able to contain the spread,” he said.

To a query, Dr War said that 10 more localities have been declared as containment areas after detection of new positive cases. The areas under containment include Mawbah, Jhalupara, Mawlai Umshing, Mawlai Umjaiur, Golflink Khlieh Shnong, Upper Mawprem, Nongrah, Nongrim Hills, Lachumiere and Laitumkhrah Nazareth. 

As on Friday, 32,401 swab samples have been sent for testing out of which 31,085 tested negative while outcome of 730 is still awaited. There are 23,706 entrants to the state from outside till date.