SHILLONG: With 121 fresh cases of COVID-19 detected in Meghalaya and with the demise of two elderly women who were a COVID-19 patient in a city hospital, the death toll due to virus in the state has gone to 19,
Director of Health Services (MI), Dr. Aman War said the person from Laban who had high blood pressure, was declared brought dead to Nazareth Hospital on Tuesday night and her samples tested positive for COVID-19. Another patient also passed away at 6 am on Wednesday in the same hospital, due to COVID-19 pneumonia and hypertension, he said.
Dr. War informed that from the 121 new cases, 59 were detected from a random sampling in East Jaintia Hills, 30 from East Khasi Hills, 25 from West Garo Hills, 4 from South Garo Hills, 2 from Ri Bhoi and 1 from West Khasi Hills.
The break-up of the new cases in East Khasi Hills, include 20 high risk cases, 2 Armed and Paramilitary Forces (A/PF) personnel, influenza like illness (ILI) 4 cases and the random sampling conducted at Police Bazaar detected 1 case and 3 from Keating Road.
He then said the cases detected in West Garo Hills include 11 A/PF personnel, 10 from random sampling at Rongram Bazaar (2), AOC Bazaar (1), Babapara (6) and Phulbari (1), 3 high risk contacts and 1 returnee, while 1 high risk and 1 A/PF in Ri Bhoi, 4 are random sampling at Baghmara market in East Garo Hills and 1 high risk in West Khasi Hills.
The senior medical officer said that the Health Department will issue advisories for temporary closure of the cement factory at Lumshnong, following the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases.
As many as 107 persons have also recovered from the viral infection, informed the Director of Health Service 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.
Meghalaya so far has recorded a total of 3,197 cases of COVID-19 of which 1,355 are active, 1,823 recoveries and 19 have succumbed.
With 860 cases, East Khasi Hills has the highest number of active cases of COVID-19 that include 708 civilians and 152 A/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, 04,090samples have been tested of which 99, 640 were negative while test results of 1,253 are awaited and there are a total of 34,399 entrants from outside the state.
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