SHILLONG: Just days after Health Minister AL Hek tested positive for COVID-19, Urban Affairs Minister, Sniawbhalang Dhar has now been confirmed positive for the virus.
DHS (MI), Dr Aman War informed on Thursday that the Cabinet minister, who had tested positive two days ago, is under self-isolation.
Dr War also informed that the Health department had started contact tracing and was compiling a list of all people who had come in contact with the minister.
Dhar is the third Cabinet minister in the state to be tested positive. Besides Hek, Power Minister James PK Sangma had also tested positive for COVID-19. NPP MLA SG Esmatur Mominin had, earlier, tested positive.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 death toll in Meghalaya rose to 87 Thursday with two more fatalities reported in East Khasi Hills.
62-year-old Lalbahadur Waiba, resident of 29, Cantonment Colony, Anjalee Beat House passed away at Supercare Hospital on October 14, while 45-year-old Belingstar Lyngkhoi from Langsymphut, Mawsynram died in the same hospital on October 28. The two deaths were added to the toll list on Thursday.
Dr War attributed 80 per cent of the deaths in the state to co-morbidities and added that the health department has collected data of elderly persons and patients with co-morbidities.
“Health workers are conducting door-to-door awareness to eliminate the fear psychosis among patients who are afraid of visiting hospitals. Due to the awareness, people are now coming forward and seeking medical attention as soon as they show symptoms of COVID,” Dr War said.
The state also recorded 113 recoveries and 77 new cases on Thursday.
A total of 7,890 patients have recovered so far while the active tally stands at 1326.