SHILLONG/ MAWKYRWAT: Almost 2000 persons have arrived in the state and they are placed under home quarantine.
An official source from the health department said on Sunday that those who have returned are in home quarantine and not under institutional quarantine.
The official added that the returnees are only from Northeastern states while those stranded in other parts of India have not arrived yet.
The official said that proper testing was done and they are being carefully monitored.
From the North East, the state government is expecting 500 more residents to arrive in Meghalaya.
Sources said that two buses have been arranged for those who are stranded in Kolkata to return to Shillong on Monday. This is the first batch of the returnees from West Bengal.
As far as the returnees from the North East are concerned, the first preference was Assam which had highest number of state residents.
In the first phase, citizens stranded in Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup (Rural), Sonitpur, Biswanath, Cachar and Tinsukia were brought in.
The government had brought in stranded people from Kokrajhar, Karimganj, Hojai, Dima Hasao, Dibrugarh, Sibasagar, Hailakandi and Dhemaji on Saturday.
The state residents had entered through the check points of Byrnihat, Ratacherra, Tikrikilla and Bajengdoba.
The transportation of those stranded in other districts of Assam and other Northeastern states will also follow.
Community
quarantine centres
South West Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Isawanda Laloo said 63 people from the district have returned home.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Laloo said that daily follow up is being done by district surveillance unit.
Asked about the need to open community quarantine centres which she had recently suggested to the headmen within the district, Laloo informed that most of the villages have prepared the community quarantine centres to be managed by COVID-19 Management Committees.
Laloo also said that based on feasibility and number of returnees, some villages have identified centres with intimation to her office. “They have made arrangements for all amenities in these centres,” she added.
The deputy commissioner also said that in places where home quarantine is not possible because of lack of space, large family, presence of the sick and elderly people or children, community quarantine is recommended. “Each centre will ensure that all quarantined persons are safe and comfortable,” she said.
Laloo also informed that there are 6 institutional quarantine centres within the district.
