Meghalaya loses ‘COVID-19’ free status in a day, one tests positive in Garo Hills

Meghalaya has lost its ‘COVID-19’ free status in a day after Garo Hills registered its first confirmed case on May 19.

A 33-year-old woman, who had returned to the state from Chennai on May 18 last, after lockdown restrictions were partially relaxed, has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Garo Hills. The woman was asymptomatic.

Also read: Meghalaya: Here the key higlights from Conrad Sangma’s coronavirus briefing

Informing this, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma tweeted: “One of the persons from Garo Hills,  who came back from chennai in the second batch has tested positive for Covid -19. the person is asymtomatic and has been in institutional quarantine in Tura. We are monitoring the situation.” (sic)

Appealing the people not to panic, the Chief Minister said, “We should not panic. But, need to handle this with utmost care and responsibility. We need to take care of elderly people and people with comorbid conditions. Asymptotic and young people are recovering from this by observing isolation.

Informing about the preventive measures taken against the novel coronavirus, CM Sangma said, “We have increased the screening points to 14 to accommodate the inflow of over 1400 citizens back to Meghalaya from Karnataka and to prepare for those returning from other states as well. Process and protocols were reviewed for the same.”

Also read: Manipur: Mocked as ‘corona’, 300 nurses leave Kolkata after facing racism

Earlier, Meghalaya reported 13 Covid-19 positive cases after a reputed Shillong-based doctor tested COVID-19 positive and later died of the viral infection. He is the lone COVID-19 related fatality in the state. While 12 of the late doctor’s relatives, employees, and friends had contracted SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, from him.  With the new case, the state has registered 14 confirmed coronavirus cases so far.

Also read: Meghalaya: Conrad Sangma takes stock on stranded migrants

Meanwhile, in Assam, the SARS virus infected a total of 157 people and claimed four lives while infected 173 people in Tripura in Northeast India so far. Over 1 lakh people have been infected with the virus and over 3000 died of the infection across the country so far.

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