Coronavirus: 50 Samples from Primary Contacts of Deceased Meghalaya Patient Test 'Negative' in Guwahati

Shillong, April 15, 2020:

Hours after the state reported its first death from the new coronavirus or COVID-19 on April 15, the Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has informed that 50 samples of the "primary contact" of the deceased have tested negative after they were sent to the GMCH in Guwahati.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote, " 50 samples from primary contact of the first Covid-19 case in Meghalaya tested today in Guwahati Medical College & Hospital, and all tested negative."

Since the detection of the first case in the city, the numbers of samples collected are 185 in number, out of which 165 are from East Khasi Hills and 24 from Nongpoh.

The state administration has also announced that the number of samples which tested positive from the coronavirus from the first batch of 68 consists of 6 samples which have tested positive and 6 which have been sent for re-confirmation. Among those who have tested positive, 3 are women, 2 are men, and one is a child.

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The results of the other samples that are awaited from NEIGHRIMS, the GMC in Guwahati and the Barpeta Medical College. "Some of the samples had to be sent to Guwahati and Barpeta due to the urgency of the matter and limited capacity of the testing facility in NEIGHRIMS", the Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma informed.

It may be recalled here that the first coronavirus case in the state was confirmed on April 13. The patient passed away around 3 am in the morning. The entire Hospital was sealed and the ones present at Bethany were asked to go into quarantine immediately.

Inside Northeast has received reports that his son-in-law recently came back from USA, and was a pilot there. He also had a travelling history to Imphal and stayed for 3 nights in Imphal. The doctor who passed away was on regular OPD duty in the Bethany Hospitals in Shillong as well as in Nongpoh. The symptoms reportedly started showing after 20 days.

“We cannot say it with full proof evidence but the most likely scenario is linked to one of the family members travel history. We are still investigating the matter”, the Chief Minister said while addressing the press.

“It is time for the citizens to act responsibly. I would urge the citizens of Meghalaya, particularly Shillong city not to stigmatize, this is the time when we have to show to the rest of the world and the country that we are together and we will fight this together,” Sangma said.

Urging the citizens to lend their support, the Meghalaya chief minister said that in these difficult times people have to remain united and cooperate with the government by adhering to the directives issued by the government.

“There is a notion in people’s mind that this disease can spread by looking at somebody. I think we need to get the facts clear, you know, if we are maintaining our social norms, if we ensure personal hygiene the chances of getting the virus is less,” the Chief Minister stated, while urging the media to also create the sensitisation.

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