SHILLONG: Phulbari MLA, SG Esmatur Mominin tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and is under quarantine at his residence in the city.
Confirming this, the MLA informed The Shillong Times that he was yet to get his report but doctors have informed him about his sample testing positive for COVID.
The MLA, who was tested at the Shillong Civil Hospital on Monday, is the first legislator in the state to test positive for COVID-19.
“They did two tests on me and I was negative in the rapid antigen test but I was informed by doctors today that my RT-PCR test was positive,” the NPP MLA said.
Mominin also informed that he had returned from his constituency last week.
The development comes close on the heels of MLAs shying away from getting themselves tested for COVID at a special screening programme organised by the Assembly Secretariat. Only four MLAs turned up for the testing, while others refused to appear for testing expressing lack of confidence in rapid antigen testing.
Reacting to the legislators’ “fears” against the rapid antigen testing, DHS (MI) Dr Aman War on Tuesday said the test is endorsed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Pointing out that no medical test is 100 per cent accurate, Dr War said, “Rapid antigen is a basic test and if anybody is unsure, they can always go for RT-PCR.”
Health Minister AL Hek took cognizance of complaints that patients visiting city hospitals for treatment of non-COVID ailments were being forced to wait for their COVID results.
Hospitals will have to provide treatment simultaneously for both COVID and non-COVID illness, Hek said. Meanwhile, 42 new cases were detected in the state on Tuesday, including 25 in East Khasi Hills (armed forces/paramilitary forces-5, others-20). West Garo Hills reported 13 cases (armed forces-2, others-11),
Ri Bhoi reported one case while South West Garo Hills reported three cases.
The new cases in East Khasi Hills include two health workers of Bethany Hospital.
156 recoveries
As many as 156 people recovered on Tuesday taking the number to 1716. The total number of active cases in the state stands at 1343.
East Khasi Hills has 920 active cases, West Khasi Hills has 30 cases, South West Khasi Hills has one case, Ri Bhoi has 117 cases, West Jaintia Hills has 11 cases, West Garo Hills has 173 cases, East Jaintia has 30 cases, South West Garo Hills has seven cases, South Garo Hills has 16 cases, East Garo Hills has 25 cases and North Garo Hills has 13 cases.