SHILLONG: The Health Department on Tuesday asserted that it has been able to cut the chain of infection from the Greenwood Resort wedding group.
Several members of the wedding group from Shillong had tested positive for COVID-19.
“We are hopeful that this chain of transmission from Greenwood Resort has been broken,” DHS (MI) Dr Aman War said on Tuesday.
The deputy commissioners of East Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi had filed FIRs against 47 people – 39 from EKH and 8 from Ri Bhoi – who had attended the wedding by violating government protocols. The state police is currently investigating into the matter.
Reacting to a query on shortage of beds in the state in view of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, Dr War said that the state has enough beds but the department is working on increasing the number of corona care centres in the state.
“The proposed TB Hospital at Umsawli is also being converted into a corona care centre and we have sent information to all the districts to identify suitable places for setting up of corona care centres,” he said.
The DHS advised that asymptomatic patients can be looked after at home.
Asked about the status of random testing in 71 clusters across the state, Dr War said testing has begun in all districts except East Khasi Hills and till date no one has been found positive.
On the violation of quarantine by the pharmacist of Shillong Civil Hospital, he said that even if no one tests positive, action would be taken against the person as per the rules.
The state recorded 27 new positive cases on Tuesday. Eight cases each were detected in East Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi, seven in West Garo Hills, two in North Garo Hills and one each in South West Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills.
In East Khasi Hills, one AYUSH doctor on COVID duty at Civil Hospital, one staff nurse at NEIGRIHMS, one contact of a NEIGRIHMS patient, two CRPF personnel, one armed force personnel, one BSF personnel and one tourist taxi driver tested positive on Tuesday.
In Ri Bhoi, six people from CMJ Breweries, Byrnihat tested positive in addition to a forest guard and one of his contacts. In West Garo Hills, seven BSF men were tested positive. In West Jaintia Hills, a staff nurse of Normal Tunnel Hospital tested positive.
A returnee from Gujarat tested positive in South West Khasi Hills while two more returnees tested positive in North Garo Hills.
Meghalaya now has 626 active cases including 425 in East Khasi Hills (BSF- 88, Armed Forces- 69 and others- 268), Ri Bhoi has 93, West Garo Hills- 72, West Jaintia Hills- 16, East Jaintia Hills- 6, West Khasi Hills- 5, North Garo Hills- 4, South West Garo Hills- 2, South Garo Hills- 2 and South West Khasi Hills-1.
Twelve patients recovered on Monday taking the total number of recoveries to 510.