SHILLONG/ TURA: Thirty-six new COVID-19 cases were detected in the state on Wednesday, including the biggest single-day high of 15 cases in West Garo Hills, taking the total number of active cases to 609.
Director of Health Services, Dr Aman War said that out of the 22 cases, 19 were detected in East Khasi Hills (all civilians), while two cases were reported from South West Garo Hills (both civilians).
Tura recorded its highest single-day figure of COVID-19 infections since the outbreak of the disease after 14 BSF personnel including a paramilitary doctor, and a civilian woman returnee tested positive on Wednesday.
West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh confirmed to The Shillong Times that with 15 positive cases this was the highest number anywhere in Garo Hills on a single day since the pandemic took root.
While 8 BSF personnel who returned from leave to join duty at the Praharinagar camp, in Danakgre on the outskirts of Tura, tested positive during antigen rests, six others from Dobasipara camp also came out positive in a similar test on the same day.
Among the six cases in Dobasipara BSF camp, a doctor, his wife and son also tested positive.
The three other positive patients are personnel who worked in the house of the doctor and his family, it was reported. “We were surprised to find the positive report because the doctor and his family are not recent returnees. They began developing the symptoms which necessitated the antigen test. Contact tracing has begun and they have been shifted to the corona care centre,” clarified the deputy commissioner.
Almost a majority of the positive cases reported in the Garo hills region have been attributed to the returning paramilitary personnel of the BSF.
Meanwhile, a woman who arrived from Shillong on Wednesday evening and had to undergo mandatory antigen testing at the ISBT corona screening transit point, on the outskirts of Tura, turned out to be positive.
East Khasi Hills has 487 cases which include 188-BSF, 58-Armed Forces and 241 others.
So far 39,553 samples have been sent for testing of which 38,062 were negative and results of 552 samples were awaited. The total number of entrants so far is 25,588 and the number of recovered persons is 339.
NEIGRIHMS plasma bank soon
Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong on Wednesday said that NEIGRIHMS is going all out to set up the plasma bank and hoped it would be in place “at the earliest”.
The government on Wednesday discussed the issue of plasma bank and received confirmation that the premier health care institute is on the job in earnest.
“I am hopeful that the plasma bank will become operational at the earliest for the benefit of the people of the state and the region as a whole”, Tynsong said.
Earlier on Monday, NEIGRIHMS Medical Superintendent, Dr Noor Topno had said that they were hopeful of starting to collect plasma from patients who have already recovered from COVID-19 within a week’s time.
