SHILLONG: The state government on Monday officially announced implementation of the micro-containment strategy instead of declaring an entire locality or sub-locality as containment zone if any positive case is detected in those areas. The decision was taken following a presentation made by the Health department.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, while making the announcement, admitted that residents were severely affected if an entire locality is declared as a containment zone.
Earlier, Director of Health Services (MI), Dr Aman War informed that the department will adopt the policy of constricting a containment area instead of putting the entire locality under the containment order.
According to him, the Health department has set up teams which will visit the localities currently notified as containment zones and demarcate those areas to be declared as micro-containment zones.
Dr War, however, was categorical in his assertion that if a large number of positive cases are reported from a locality, the whole area would be declared as containment zone.
State breaches 900-mark
Meanwhile, in a dubious distinction for the state, the confirmed number of COVID-19 cases surged past the 900-mark with 28 more cases reported on Monday.
21 cases were detected in East Khasi Hills, five cases were detected in Ri Bhoi District while two cases were reported in West Jaintia Hills.
Giving details of the cases detected in East Khasi Hills, Health Minister AL Hek said the new cases include two contacts of a positive case at NEIGRIHMS, one patient in Shillong Civil Hospital, two returnees, one high risk contact of a lab technician at Shillong Civil Hospital, two Armed Force personnel and 13 BSF personnel. Five Armed Force personnel tested positive in Ri Bhoi while two returnees were tested positive in West Jaintia Hills.
The total number of active cases in the state stood at 633 of which East Khasi Hills has 518 cases (BSF-226, 59-Armed Forces and 233-others). The total recovery in the state stood at 264 while the total number of deceased stood at five.
