Shillong: No cases of the new coronavirus strain, were detected in Meghalaya, even as five more persons, including two doctors of North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), tested positive for the viral infection, taking the tally of active cases in Meghalaya up to 108 on Wednesday, health officials said.
“There have been no reports of people being infected with the new strain of COVID-19 in the State. Most of the new cases detected in the State have been asymptomatic and reported among those people who have visited other states,” Director Health Services (MI), Dr. Aman War told UNI.
“There is nothing to be panicky. People know about the virus now and the only thing is that they have to be sincere in following the protocols,” he said.
Moreover, Dr. War informed that this is the “season of common cold” so people may test positive for common cold too.
Meanwhile, East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Isawanda Laloo has issued fresh advisory for the marketplace and said wearing a mask is mandatory and violators would be penalized.
“Masks should be worn at all times. Anyone without a mask is liable to be fined,” Laloo said, even as he urged the public to maintain distance and not crowd in an area.
“Number of customers inside a shop should be kept at a minimum,” She said, adding, COVID-19 cases have increased across the country and in order to prevent spread of the infection the public should follow the protocols strictly.
Of the new five cases detected on Tuesday, Dr. War informed that three cases, including two doctors working in super speciality NEIGRIHMS hospital, were in East Khasi Hills district and two in Ri-Bhoi district, while only one patient have recovered from the viral infection as on Wednesday.
With 71 active COVID-19 cases, the East Khasi Hills, that includes State capital Shillong is the most affected district, followed by West Garo Hills with 25 active cases as per the latest count.
So far, Meghalaya has registered 14, 140 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 150 deaths with 1.06 per cent case fatality rate.
On the other hand, 22, 504 healthcare workers had received the first dose of Covishield vaccine and 15, 425 had received the second dose, while 33,021 frontline workers got the first shot of the vaccine and 19, 504 got the second dose as on Wednesday.
Moreover, 37,917 persons from among the general public were vaccinated with the first dose and 1, 775 were inoculated with the second dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 across the State.
