It is almost two weeks since Meghalaya recorded the first COVID-19 patient who succumbed to related complications within 48 hours, but the Meghalaya government is still in dark about the source of infection.
“We are still trying to ascertain the source of the virus that had infected and killed the first positive patient. Contact tracing and surveillance are on a war-footing to ascertain the source of the virus,” said Director of Health Services, Dr Aman War.
Meghalaya recorded the first COVID-19 positive case on April 13, that of a doctor at Bethany Hospital in Shillong, which is now declared as COVID-19 hotspot. The patient succumbed to the virus in less than 48-hours.
Out of the 11 active COVID-19 patients, two are domestic helps and eight others are family members of the first patient. Another woman, who had met the doctor also tested positive for the virus.
Till April 23 evening, over 1,100 samples tested for COVID-19, out of which 1,000 samples were found negative.
“Out of 1109 samples sent for test, 1000 samples have been tested negative and the results of 97 samples are awaited,” Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on April 23.
“All positive patients are stable,” he said adding that all primary contacts of all the positive patients have tested negative so far.
“All known primary contacts of the positive patients have been tested for and are found to be negative so far,” Sangma said.
A total of 24,382 persons have been screened till now with 5,208 in home quarantine and 296 in institutional quarantine.
The family members of the first patient also urged the Meghalaya government to “track down the source of the virus”. “In pursuance of truth, it is hoped the authorities will thoroughly track the source of the virus, instead of allowing conjectures to dominate the narrative,” the family members said.
