SHILLONG: Meghalaya on Thursday witnessed the highest spike in COVID-19 cases with 41 persons testing positive, taking the state’s active cases to 95.
The state, which had earned kudos for being able to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, now stands with a total of 142 cases detected so far.
It includes 95 active cases, 45 recovered and two deaths.
DHS, Dr Aman War informed that out of the 41 positive cases detected on Thursday, 38 were from BSF while returnees from New Delhi (two) and Patna (one) accounted for the remaining three.
While 10 BSF personnel were reported to have tested earlier in the day, Dr War informed late in the night that 28 more cases were tested positive.
He, however, informed that the BSF authorities were yet to provide additional details.
Commissioner & Secretary, Health department, Sampath Kumar informed that a large number of BSF personnel have returned to the state in the last two weeks. He, however, did not divulge details of the same.
Out of the 95 active cases in the state, 76 are from East Khasi Hills (65 BSF, 2 IAF men, 9 civilians) and 15 cases are from Ri Bhoi. There are three active cases in West Garo Hills and one in East Jaintia Hills.
It is learnt that the person who had come from Patna after attending a marriage there, tested positive on Thursday.
Health Minister AL Hek said that the person along with the family had visited Patna for a marriage before the lockdown and they returned to the state recently.
The person hails from Keating Road and the shop in the complex where the family was staying has been immediately shut down. All the family members of the Patna returnee have been put under quarantine and the positive patient admitted to Shillong Civil Hospital.
When contacted, President of the Keating Road Welfare Organisation, JL Das said that a lot of rumours were afloat and he urged people not to believe in rumours. The organisation, he said, was in touch with the government authorities.
Containment zone
The East Khasi Hills District Magistrate, M War Nongbri, issued a late night order on Thursday declaring the entire Frontier Headquarters BSF Campus at Umpling as a containment zone.
The order restricts unregulated entry/exit movement on the campus site and prevents any person from either going into or moving out of the BSF campus. Inhabitants within the BSF campus have been asked to stay indoors and restriction has been put on gatherings, events or functions.
All government & private institutions and shopping establishments will have to be shut down with immediate effect.
The East Khasi Hill district administration will arrange for supply of medicine and other essentials, the order stated.
Market closed
Meanwhile, in another order, the East Khasi Hills District Magistrate has in exercise of Regulation 3 of the Meghalaya Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020 ordered closure of the wholesale vegetable market temporarily functioning at the Shillong Municipal Board parking lot, Mawlonghat with immediate effect following reports of protocol violations.
