SHILLONG: Meghalaya COVID-19 count continues to rise steadily with as many as 39 people, including 29 BSF personnel, testing positive on Friday. The total cases in the state have gone up to 181 out of which 134 are active cases.
Incidentally, a tweet by Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma said that the number of active cases in the state stands at 139 with 45 recoveries.
Despite attempts to contact DHS and other officials the reason for the difference in the number of active cases could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report.
26 BSF personnel tested positive in East Khasi Hills while three BSF personnel, who returned to the state, tested positive in Tura on Friday. Another 9 persons – seven returnees from Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati & Chennai and two high-risk contacts of a positive patient – also tested positive on Friday. In addition, a person was tested positive at NEIGRIHMS, taking the total for the day to 39.
Meanwhile, concerned with the increasing number of cases in the BSF Frontier headquarters in Umpling, the state government on Friday ordered for random testing in the three localities surrounding the campus.
Informing this after a review meeting earlier in the day, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong informed that the Government has decided to carry out the random testing in the three localities of Nongmynsong, Umpling-Rynjah and Mawpat.
It was informed that Health officials led by Director Health Services (MI), Dr Aman War will have a consultative meeting with the COVID-19 management committee of these three localities on Saturday before starting the random testing.
The Health officials will first hold a meeting at Nongmynsong at 10 am followed by a meeting at Umpling-Rynjah at 11 am and finally at Mawpat at 12 noon.
Dr War said that that the department will carry out the random testing in these three localities with the Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits.
Health and Family Welfare Minister, Alexander Laloo Hek informed that out of the total number of 22,944 samples which was sent for testing, 22,520 samples are negative and the results of 253 samples are awaited. He informed that 21,184 returnees have arrived in the state so far.
