SHILLONG: The state Cabinet is likely to meet sometime next week to take a call on whether the lockdown should continue while 123 COVID-19 tests have proved negative in the state.
Of the 123 tests, 12 were conducted on Thursday.
Talking to media persons here on Thursday, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that the government was not complacent even though the state does not have a positive case till now.
“By next week, the Cabinet will review the situation and if need be, we can continue the lockdown till the end of this month”, he said.
The 21-day nationwide lockdown ends on April 14.
He said that the government was fully prepared adding that corona centres have been set up and even private wards in hospitals will be used for quarantine of health workers who will be treating COVID-19 patients. He said separate blocks have also been identified in corona care centres for them and some hotels are also being requisitioned for the purpose.
The corona care centres are housed at Indian Institute of Management, Nongthymmai, Meghalaya Administrative Training Institute Building, Mawdiangdiang, MIIT, Dhankheti and Pastoral Centre and SMELC, Tura.
Meanwhile, Health Commissioner and Secretary, Sampath Kumar, said the government is now keeping patients coming for COVID-19 tests in quarantine for 24 hours.
Informing that more than 4,000 people have completed their home quarantine, he added that there are eight who are under observation in different hospitals across the state.
Asked about opening a testing centre in Tura, he said that the government was getting necessary approvals and equipment were being mobilised for the purpose and it would take around a week to make it operational.
When asked about ambulance drivers reportedly not being allowed by their landowners to enter their residences, he said that the government has issued advisories in this regard and has been requesting everyone to cooperate.
“Let an official complaint come, I will take it up”, Tynsong said.
