Meghalaya's COVID-19 tally crosses 1,000-mark with 16 fresh cases

Meghalaya's COVID-19 tally on Friday crossed the 1,000-mark as 16 more people, including seven security personnel and three doctors of a hospital, tested positive for coronavirus, Health Minister Alexander Laloo Hek said.

With these new cases, the total number of coronavirus patients in the state stands at 1,006, he said.

The COVID-19 death toll rose to six in Meghalaya as a 45-year-old patient succumbed to the disease on Friday, Health Services Director Dr Aman War said.

"The patient from of Upper Mawprem area in Shillong was admitted to the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) on August 3 with kidney-related problems. He had tested positive for the disease," he said.

Of the 16 new cases, 11 were reported from East Khasi Hills, two from Ri-Bhoi and one each from West Garo, West Khasi and East Jaintia hills districts, the minister said.

"The 11 new patients in East Khasi Hills district include five armed forces personnel, three doctors of the NEIGRIHMS, a nurse of the Shillong Civil Hospital and two returnees," he said.

Two fresh patients from Ri-Bhoi are BSF employees, Hek said.

A total of 66 people have been cured of the disease in the last 24 hours, he said.

Meghalaya now has 590 active cases, while 411 people have recovered from the disease.

The minister said East Khasi Hills has 446 active cases, the highest in the state, followed by Ri-Bhoi (72) and West Garo Hills (28).

The first COVID-19 case in Meghalaya was detected in mid-April.

A total of 40,631 samples have been tested for COVID- 19 in the state, the minister added.