SHILLONG: The relentless surge of COVID-19 cases in the state continued with 21 new patients testing positive on Tuesday. 13 of these cases were reported from East Khasi Hills alone, while seven cases were reported in Ri Bhoi. One person also tested positive in West Jaintia Hills.
Health and Family Welfare Minister, AL Hek informed that out of the 13 new cases in East Khasi Hills, BSF and CRPF accounted for two each. Nine others — six returnees from Assam, Bengaluru and Hyderabad and three high risk contacts of the Khanapara wedding group — were also tested positive in the district.
The seven new positive cases in Ri Bhoi include four from Baridua, two high risk contacts of the health workers employed at Byrnihat entry point and one Assam resident who was tested positive at Bhoirymbong, Ri Bhoi. Another returnee tested positive in West Jaintia Hills.
Meanwhile, in a positive development on the COVID front, as many as 18 patients recovered on Tuesday taking the total number of recoveries to 70.
The total number of active cases in the state stands at 416. Giving the break-up, the Health Minister said that the number of active cases in East Khasi Hills is 355 (267 BSF personnel, 14 armed forces and 74 others), 42 in Ri Bhoi, 12 in West Garo Hills, 2 in South Garo Hills and one each in East Garo Hills, North Garo Hills, South West Garo Hills, West Jaintia Hills and East Jaintia Hills.
Two more nurses positive
In a separate development, two nurses and one attendant were tested positive for COVID-19 at NEIGRIHMS on Tuesday.
Confirming this, NEIGRIHMS officiating director, Dr P Bhattacharya said that the two nurses were from the Orthopaedic department and were already in quarantine. The third person who tested positive is an attendant who serves food in the same department.
He said that all the three patients were fine and NEIGRIHMS will not go for contact tracing as they were already in quarantine.