COVID-19 surge continues in Meghalaya

Shillong: Meghalaya is witnessing a sudden spurt of COVID-19 active cases with 513 fresh cases of infection detected and 14 new deaths recorded, even as 307 patients were declared recovered on Thursday, an official said.
The positivity rate currently stands at 7.43 per cent, while the fatality rate stands at 1.55 and the recovery rate is slowly inching towards 91 per cent as on date.
Health and Family Welfare Minister, Alexander Laloo HeK has cautioned the citizens in view of the sudden surge in COVID-19 cases, with over 1,571 active cases recorded in the last three days in the State.
“One of the primary reasons of the surge in positive cases is that the citizens are not following the health protocols of wearing masks and social distancing,” the health minister said, as he underscored the need to strictly follow the health protocols to prevent from being infected with the virulent virus.
As on Thursday, Meghalaya has detected a total of 59, 346 COVID-19 cases out of which 4,413 are active, 988 fatalities and 53, 945 recovered.
Of the deaths due to COVID-19 related complications recorded on Thursday, Director of Health Services (MI), Dr. Aman War said 11 were in the East Khasi Hills district and one each in South West Khasi Hills district, West Jaintia Hills district and West Khasi Hills district.
He said the new COVID-19 cases detected were 184 in East Khasi Hills district, 105 in West Garo Hills district, 70 in Ri-Bhoi district, 35 in West Jaintia Hills district, 28 in South West Khasi Hills district, 27 in West Khasi Hills district, 25 in North Garo Hills district, 15 in South West Garo Hills district, 12 in East Garo Hills district, besides six cases of infection each in East Jaintia Hills district and South Garo Hills district.
The East Khasi Hills, including state capital Shillong is the most COVID-19 affected district with 1,361 active positive cases and 714 deaths, followed by West Garo Hills district with 1,087 active cases and 49 deaths, Ri-Bhoi district with 598 active cases and 41 deaths, West Jaintia Hills district with 353 active cases and 94 deaths and South West Khasi Hills district with 246 active cases and 10 deaths, while the six other districts had less than 200 active cases each as on Thursday.
Till Thursday, 7,95,557 persons were tested for COVID-19 across the State, of whom, 7,36,211 were tested negative for the virus, as per data released by the National Health Mission, Meghalaya.
On the other hand, 31, 570 health care workers were inoculated with the first dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 and 21,314 were vaccinated with the second dose, 97,124 front-line workers got the first jab and 31,286 took the second shot, while 6,77,822 persons from among the general public received the first dose and 87,990 were fully vaccinated with the second dose across the State as on date, as per official information.