SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Government has vehemently denied allegations that hospitals and healthcare centres are receiving financial help for declaring someone as COVID-19 positive.
Commissioner and Secretary, Health department, Sampath Kumar came out with the clarification on Thursday following rumours that some healthcare institutions were exaggerating COVID-19 numbers in order to receive financial assistance.
“This allegation is absolutely false and baseless. It is the responsibility of the state to ensure that diagnosis of COVID-19 is accurately made to contain the spread of the virus,” he said.
He further reiterated that Meghalaya has one of the lowest COVID-19 cases per million people across India and it has been achieved through thousands of tests on those found susceptible to COVID. “In that direction, one important category is to test those vulnerable to COVID-19 coming to hospitals also. )More than 90% of COVID-19 patients are treated only in government hospitals or facilities,” he added.
COVID cases cross 5000-mark
The number of COVID-19 cases in the state crossed the 5000-mark on Thursday, with 124 new cases taking the confirmed tally to 5078. A record number of 199 recoveries took the total number of recoveries past the 3000-mark.
The active cases in the state stands at 1977 while the number of recoveries stands at 3058.
East Khasi Hills recorded 100 new cases including 8 from Armed forces/Paramilitary forces, 49 high risk contacts, 1 returnee, 2 each from Bivar Road and Umlyngka, 7 from IGP, 3 from Laban, 11 from Mawlai Phudmawri, 6 from Mawprem, 3 each from Oakland and Rilbong and 1 each from Mawbah, Anjalee, Police Bazar, Mawpat and Pynthorumkhrah.
7 cases each were reported in North Garo Hills and Ri Bhoi, 5 in West Garo Hills, 2 in West Khasi Hills and 1 each in South West Garo Hills, South West Khasi Hills and East Garo Hills.
Seven cases from West Garo Hills have migrated to Assam.
Among the 199 recoveries, 176 were in East Khasi Hills, 8 in West Garo Hills, 6 in West Khasi Hills, 5 in Ri Bhoi and 2 each in South West Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills.
The death toll in the state rose to 43 after 74-year-old Rishikesh Subba, resident of Upper Mawprem, died on Thursday.
The patient was admitted to NEIGRIHMS on September 13 and was tested COVID-19 positive. The cause of death was Type I respiratory failure with septic shock and COVID-19 pneumonia.
