By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: With the spike in COVID-19 cases showing no signs of abatement, the Meghalaya health authorities have upped its health facilities to combat the spread of virus more effectively. The additional measures include creation of more corona care centres, fast tracking of sample test results and creation of more testing centres.
Health Minister AL Hek on Thursday informed that the lab testing facilities were being increased by making it available at Shillong Civil Hospital, Nazareth Hospital and Dr H Gordon Roberts Hospital of the city beside other places.The state as of now has 15 testing centres in different hospitals with facilities of RTPCR and Truenat.
The Health Minister said that now more tests can be done and people will not have to wait for days to get their results.
Talking of random sampling, Hek said it was going on in a cluster-wise manner and focus was being laid where more positive cases are being detected.
On setting up of plasma bank, he said that NEIGRIHMS was on course and it was expected to come up soon.
It may be mentioned that lack of adequate quarantine facilities and testing labs had caused a lot of inconvenience.
Initially the state had just one testing lab at NEIGRIHMS and later it was installed at Civil Hospital Tura and Pasteur Institute, Shillong.
People had to wait for days to get test results and many positive patients had to wait at home for want of accommodation in the Corona Care Centres.
All these deficiencies in the system added more to fears and tension among people especially in the neighbourhood.
Death toll rises to 20
The death toll due to COVID-19 continued to rise in the state as a 38-year-old woman became the 20th victim of virus as she was brought dead to Nazareth Hospital on Thursday morning.
DHS(MI) Dr Aman War said that the victim has been identified as Swatika Paul who had co-morbidities. She was afflicted by diabetes mellitus with hypertension. She was suffering from vomiting and cough for the last few days. Her samples were taken as soon as she was brought to the hospital and it tested positive.
Meanwhile, the state on Wednesday reported 99 new positive cases of COVID-19 while 19 people recovered on the same day.
Bank closed in Nongstoin
The Meghalaya Rural Bank, Nongstoin Branch was shut down for 24 hours after an employee of the bank tested positive for COVID-19. West Khasi Hills DC, T Lyngwa informed that the person was tested positive on Thursday during the random testing conducted by the Health department at Nongstoin market area and he was taken to the Nongstoin corona care centre for treatment.
He added after the incident, he had issued an order to temporarily shut down the branch for 24 hours and it may not function until September 14.
Besides the bank employees, a women from Rambrai area was tested COVID-19 positive. She has no travel history except for engaging in her work in the paddy field.
Earlier this week, a youth from New Nongstoin village who was a butcher at Nongstoin was also tested positive.
The total numbers of active cases in West Khasi Hills District has reached 33 including 3 from Nongstoin and 30 from Mawshynrut Civil Sub-Division.