Fourteen more persons have tested positive for COVID-19, while 30 more have recovered from the viral flu infection on August 13 in Meghalaya, taking active cases up to 640 and recoveries to 547 so far in the state.
On the other hand, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that the government has decided to re-open gyms and yoga/aerobics centres which have remained closed for over five months due to COVID-19 pandemic.
“Deputy commissioners of respective districts have been authorised to make the decisions and issue the notification,” Sangma said after chairing the review meeting on the pandemic.
Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong on August 13 said that the government has issued instructions to the chief secretary to complete the process of identifying a dedicated place for street hawkers in the city, who have been going through economic hardship ever since the breakout of the pandemic.
“We have given instruction to the chief secretary to complete the process at the earliest possible so that the government can take a decision on this matter,” he said.
Health and family welfare minister Alexander Laloo Hek said that out of the 14 new cases detected, 11 are from East Khasi Hills district, two from West Garo Hills district and one from North Garo Hills district.
Of the eleven new cases detected in East Khasi Hills, Hek informed that eight were civilians, including a returnee from Gujarat who came back two months ago, two are SARI cases, two are contacts of positive persons, one is a returnee, staff nurse at North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) and one is a contact of a positive person from Assam.
One positive case was detected in North Garo Hills who had returned from Pynthorbah locality in Shillong, while two cases, including a returnee from Assam and a shopkeeper were reported in West Garo Hills, Hek said.
On the other hand, 11 BSF troopers and two armed forces personnel and seven civilians recovered in the East Khasi Hills, while seven civilians and three armed forces personnel recovered from the viral infection in the Ri-Bhoi district,
Out of the 640 active cases in the state, Shillong the district headquarter of East Khasi Hills as well as the state capital of Meghalaya is the worst-affected by novel coronavirus accounts alone 426 active cases, including 278 civilians, 86 BSF, 86,278 civilians and armed forces 72,436 active cases, including 278 civilians, 86 BSF troopers and 72 armed forces (Army, Assam Rifles).
The other two districts with over 80 active cases includes Ri-Bhoi has 83 active cases and 84 in West Garo Hills.
As on date, there are 16 cases in West Jaintia Hills, six each in East Jaintia Hills and North Garo Hills and another three each in West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills, besides two in South West Garo Hills and one in South West Khasi Hills.
“Total samples sent for testing till today is 42,706, out of which 41,097 were tested negative and results of 416 are awaited,” Hek informed, adding that 27,522 persons have returned to the state till date from other parts of the country.
With a total of 640 active cases, 547 recovered and six deceased, the total cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases in Meghalaya stands at 1,193 till date.
