SHILLONG: An eight-month-old baby, who was brought to NEIGRIHMS here from Arunachal Pradesh with COVID-19 symptoms, died before being tested positive on Monday.
This is the second COVID-19 death reported in the state.
Confirming this, Health and Family Welfare Minister, AL Hek said that the baby was brought to the Hospital at 2 am with her parents and the driver of the vehicle.
Since she was having the symptoms of COVID, She was directly admitted to the isolation ward of the institute.
Hek informed that the driver and the parents have tested negative for COVID-19.
While the parents want to get the baby cremated here, the government has not given permission for this.
The parents and the driver have to return with the body all the way to Seppa in Arunachal Pradesh. They fear that on their return to their home state, they might be stigmatised.
Penal action against violators
With steady rise in COVID cases, the state government has decided to take stringent action against those who violate the SOPs and advisories like wearing of masks, and maintaining of social distance.
Hek said, “We have made enough requests to people and now we have decided to enforce the health protocols more stringently, including taking penal action.”
