SHILLONG: The East Khasi Hills district has been tagged as Red Zone or COVID-19 hotspot and in a related development, one more person was tested positive on Monday.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma announced through Twitter that a family friend of the positive patient under quarantine has also been tested positive. With this, there are 11 active cases in the state after the death of the first patient.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said the situation in Shillong calls for stringent efforts and there will be no relaxation of lockdown in the district.
“In this connection, there will be no relaxation of the lockdown in East Khasi Hills since all the COVID-19 positive cases were recorded in the district,” he told reporters on Monday.
Further, he informed that the Chief Secretary, MS Rao, has been directed to prepare the modalities on the relaxation of the lockdown in other ten districts of the state which have been labelled as ‘Green Zones’ since there is no report of any positive case.
Tynsong said out of the total number of 24,382 persons screened, 4479 have been advised to go for home quarantine and there are 261 persons in quarantine centres.
As for the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), he said the health department has 44,403 PPE till date while the target is to have 50,000 PPE. The number of rapid tests kits is 7500 and the government will order some more.
Tynsong has urged the stranded persons to not be hasty to come to the state assuring them of one-time financial assistance.
As for the beneficiaries availing the benefits of Rs 700 from the chief minister’s assistance programme, there are 2,15,529 out of which 1,80,574 are being screened by the labour department as there are those who do not have any job cards, not registered workers and who do not get the rationed essential items.
In the agriculture sector, he said the money under the scheme of PM’s Kisan Yojana has been released in the accounts of 44,692 beneficiaries.
Tynsong also said the stock of essential items is adequate.
The deputy chief minister added that the payment of electricity bills of people from the rural areas has been extended to 2-3 months and no penalty will be imposed.
covid update
Samples collected: 838
Tested negative: 714
Tested positive: 12 (11 active)
Result awaited: 113