SHILLONG: Gone are the days when BSF and armed forces used to account for bulk of the COVID cases in the state. Today, the scene has turned upside down with civilian cases of viral infection has grown exponentially while the BSF and armed forces combined has been on the decline. This has legitimately made fears of community spread loom large in the capital town.
As COVID-19 cases continued to spiral, the Director of Health Services, Dr Aman War has admitted that the capital city is indeed going towards community spread and a definite pronouncement after consulting with experts and the contact tracing exercise is completed in a day or two.
As health officials conducted random testing in different locations of the town, several positive cases have tumbled out making the worst fears come true.
Since August 16 when random tests were ramped up, 87 new cases were detected, which is the highest tally for civilians in a span of four days.
Giving out the results of the random test conducted in and around the city, War said random test was conducted on August 16 at Rilbong in which 701 tests were conducted and 38 people tested positive.
In Mawpat 79 people were tested and nobody tested positive, adding that on August 17, tests were conducted at Umpling and all 123 people tested negative.
On August 18, tests were conducted in Jhalupara on 150 people, of whom 18 people were tested positive, adding that on the same day, six persons tested positive in Upper Mawprem out of 140 tests.
In Lumsohra, 94 people tested negative, while at Anjalee Point six people tested positive out of 226 tests.
On Wednesday, nine tested positive out of 82 at Khlieh Iewduh, seven were positive out of 144 at Motphran and three were detected positive out of 165 at Police Bazar.
All 23 persons tested at Diengiei were negative.