SHILLONG: As the cases continue to surge in the state, the health authorities on Thursday warned that cases of COVID-19 would spiral in the state and any area which was callously indifferent to following the standard protocols and physical distancing norms would be vulnerable to COVID-19.
Health Minister AL Hek, complemented by DHS Dr Aman War made it clear that despite all official endeavours, the areas where there was no discipline were likely to contact the virus.
The statement came from the government after 33 new active cases were reported on Thursday.
The new cases include 26 from BSF in East Khasi Hills, one from Armed Forces in Ri Bhoi and four civilians, including three in East Khasi Hills and one from Ri Bhoi district. Two people, who had tested positive in Guwahati, were shown as migrated to Tura, taking the active tally in West Garo Hills to 10.
The three civilians who tested positive in East Khasi Hills on Thursday include two returnees and one high risk contact of NEIGRIHMS case.
Meanwhile, as a small mercy two cases in BSF also recovered in Tura on Thursday.
With that the total number of active cases in the state stood at 328 including 288 from East Khasi Hills (BSF – 222, others – 52 and Armed Forces – 14).
Ri Bhoi district has 24 cases followed by East Jaintia Hills and South Garo Hills which have 2 cases each, East Garo Hills and North Garo Hills have one case each while West Garo Hills now has 10 cases.
Reacting to a query about the two critical cases, the DHS said that both of them are doing well and one only one person is under ventilator right now.
When asked about the contact tracing of the positive patients, he said that for the wedding case, as many as 269 contacts had been traced out of which 110 people have tested negative so far.
As far as the contact tracing of NEIGRIHMS is concerned, it was informed that there are more than 100 high risk contacts in NEIGRIHMS and the institute is conducting tests.
WGH tally rises
West Garo Hills has raised its total number of COVID-19 positive cases to ten after a patient from the district who had tested positive in a hospital in Guwahati was admitted into the COVID ward of the Tura Civil Hospital on Thursday.
“We have today admitted in the COVID ward of Tura Civil Hospital a patient from the district who has been tested positive in a Guwahati hospital. Also, two COVID patients admitted in the hospital have tested negative. Total active patients in the district are now ten. Eight were tested in Tura and two imported from Assam,” announced Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh.
He also informed that all visitors coming into Garo Hills from Khanapara and Byrnihat in Ri Bhoi district including inter-state visitors will have to undergo RT-PCR tests and quarantine.
However, other inter-district visitors including from Shillong are exempted from tests and quarantine, the deputy commissioner further informed.
