SHILLONG: Strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols and disciplined handling of the situation have led to a drastic fall in positive cases at the Border Security Force, Meghalaya Frontier headquarters here, which was at one point of time the “epicentre” of coronavirus in the state with over 400 cases reported.
Active cases have dipped substantially to 26 at the BSF Frontier camp, which is by and large a safe zone now.
About 90-95 per cent of the BSF personnel who had once contracted the virus have now recovered while over 450 of them have voluntarily come forward to donate their plasma.
AC Bhardwajan, DIG (Med) of BSF Composite Hospital said the BSF has handled the COVID-19 situation very well as the force had to cater to about 200 patients whereas the hospital could accommodate merely 30 people.
“We have been able to contain the virus because we have strictly followed the protocols and the guidelines of the 3 ‘Ts’, which is testing, tracing and treatment,” Bhardwajan said.
Informing that the recovery rate in BSF now stands at 96 per cent, he said new cases in the force have been reported only from those personnel returning to the state from leave.
“Returnees from leave have to undergo mandatory quarantine before joining duty. We follow it up with compulsory testing and this is our way to ensure that there is no more spread of COVID-19 in the campus,” he said.
The BSF campus was once even declared a containment zone after several cases were reported there. Now things have changed remarkably for the better.
) A visit to the camp by this correspondent also revealed that strict protocols were being followed in the campus.
No one is allowed to enter the campus until and unless they have to meet somebody in the camp while the details of each and every visitor are taken by the BSF personnel at the entry gate.
Death toll up by one
Meghalaya on Tuesday reported 57 new COVID-19 cases, 105 recoveries and one more death.
DHS (MI) Dr Aman War informed that 26 new cases were detected in East Khasi Hills, 17 in West Garo Hills, 3 each in East Garo Hills, South Garo Hills and West Jaintia Hills, 2 in East Jaintia Hills and 1 each in North Garo Hills, Ri Bhoi and South West Garo Hills.
The active cases in the state stands at 2020 while the number of recoveries has gone up to 6497.
The death toll rose to 76 after 60-year-old Slinsibon Sawian, from Lawmali, was declared brought dead to Ganesh Das Hospital on Monday. The body tested positive for COVID-19. Her diagnosis was not known at the time of filing the report.