SHILLONG: As the number of positive cases has kept spiralling in Shillong, the state government has begun a search for more locations for creation of additional corona care centres as a buffer.
DHS (MI), Dr Aman War said that there was a shortfall of corona care centres in East Khasi Hills as active cases were showing upward trend. The district’s solitary corona care centre at IIM Umsawli has a capacity of 60 beds. The government now plans to raise the strength to 200 beds.
To that end, the government has identified NIFT, MATI, MIITS and Assam Regimental Centre at Lawsohtun as possible new centres. These establishments were so long being operated as institutional quarantine centres.
Meanwhile, responding to a query about what exactly happened in Keating Road where 10 people who had returned from Patna tested positive, DHS said that when the party came from Bihar, one of the persons had tested positive while others tested negative and were sent for home quarantine.
The patient who was admitted in corona care centre later started showing symptoms and the government again went for the re-testing of all the members who returned from Bihar and that is the time when they started testing positive for COVID one after another. “In no way, a positive person was sent back home,” he said.
Meanwhile, Director of Health Services, Dr Aman War said that Umpling BSF Campus, Mawpat BSF Campus and Nongmynsong police outpost are the three containment areas in Shillong.
NEIGRIHMS have also made the Orthopedics ward as a containment area after a BSF jawan had tested positive for COVID-19.