SHILLONG: The rampaging COVID-19 pandemic claimed a 45-year-old patient from Upper Mawprem at NEIGRIHMS on Friday taking the death toll in the state to six while the number of positive cases crossed the 1000-mark with the detection of another 16 on the day.
The government, however, has assured there is no community spread of the virus yet.
NEIGRIHMS director Dr Prithwis Bhattacharya said that the patient, Pankaj Bhushal, was suffering from kidney failure and was called to report ahead of the scheduled dialysis treatment since he was staying in a containment zone.
Stating that he was a COVID-19 positive, Bhattacharya said that the CT scan report was very clear on this.
Meanwhile, DHS (MI), Dr Aman Warr said that the patient was admitted to NEIGRIHMS as he was suffering from chronic kidney failure even as he tested positive for COVID-19.
He also said that he was awaiting the full report from the NEGIRHMS.
He was admitted in NEGIRHMS on August 3 and he had dialysis on August 5 and was scheduled for another session on August 8.
Past 1000-mark
Meanwhile, the number of positive cases reached 1006 pon Friday after 16 more were detected on Friday.
Out of the 16 new cases, 11 are from East Khasi Hills District ( Armed Force-5, a staff nurse of Civil Hospital, two returnees and three doctors from NEIGRIHMS).
In West Garo Hills, one returnee tested positive while in East Jaintia Hills, a driver of Topcem cement tested positive.
In Ri Bhoi district, two Armed Forces personnel tested positive while a returnee in West Khasi Hills also tested positive.
The state as on Friday had 590 active cases.
Reacting to a query about the 1000-mark which the state crossed, Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek said that out of these, many were from the BSF.
“The number of civilians testing positive is still below 500 and 95 per cent of them are returnees,” Hek said while assuring that there is no community spread yet.
As of now, 411 persons have also recovered in the state.
Meanwhile, 40631 samples have been sent for testing out of which 39008 have tested negative while results of 617 are awaited.
Containment areas
The East Khasi Hills district administration Friday declared two premises at Lower Lumsohra, Laitumkhrah and Mawshaton here as containment zones due to detection of positive COVlD-19 cases/high risk contacts as the affected areas require aggressive contact tracing, quarantine, testing and isolation.
According to an order, the building of Quincydora Shallam, Lower Lumsohra, Laitumkhrah and the house of Salvania Kharkrang at Mawshaton are declared as containment areas.
Meanwhile, in view of reports that a person who tested positive for COVID-19 had visited the Rani Motors showroom at Mawblei, the Deputy Commissioner has directed its closure until further orders.
