Shillong, Jul 4 -Eight persons, including three Border Security Force (BSF) troopers tested positive for COVID-19 in Meghalaya, surging the number of active cases to 26 in the State as on Saturday.
Meanwhile, health authorities on Saturday conducted 350 random tests in Khanapara area, even as curfew continues in Khanapara-Byrnihat area in State’s Ri-Bhoi district bordering Assam’s Kamrup district to break the transmission chain.
Out of the eight new cases, Director Health Services (MI), Dr. Aman War said four were high risk contacts of a COVID-19 patient who is presently in Assam have tested positive for the same at 13 Mile in Ri-Bhoi District late on Friday night.
Another high risk contact of a COVID-19 positive patient who was working at Greenwood Restaurant, Guwahati has tested positive for the viral infection from Khanapara B in Ri Bhoi on Saturday afternoon, he informed.
Furthermore, War informed that three more BSF troopers tested too positive for COVID-19.
Of the three BSF troopers, he said two of them were in Lyngkhat village near the India-Bangladesh while one is from Shillong.
War said the government has issued an advisory to the BSF authorities to take samples of all the troopers following the detection of the two positive cases in Lyngkhat village.
Altogether, 11 BSF troopers have tested positive for the viral infection so far in Meghalaya.
“We will continue to conduct the random testings in other areas adjoining Assam in our attempt to break transmission chain,†the health official said, adding that contact tracing of all the newly tested positive persons was on.
With these new detections, Meghalaya has registered 70 positive cases, which includes 26 active cases and one death, while 43 have recovered from the viral infection.
The 26 COVID-19 active cases in the State include 11 in East Khasi Hills District (10 males, one female), 10 in Ri-Bhoi District (6 males, 4 females), 2 males in South West Garo Hills District, 2 males in West Garo Hills District and one male in East Jaintia Hills District, War said.
Of the 20,570 swab samples sent for testing till Saturday, 20,251 have come out negative while the results of 250 were awaited.
On the other hand, officials informed that 19,880 residents of Meghalaya, who had been stranded in other parts of the country returned to the state till Saturday.
