Three more Covid-related fatalities in Meghalaya were recorded today, pushing the death toll to 73 on a day when two under-trial inmates at Shillong District Jail were confirmed to be reinfected with the coronavirus while more than 60 Catholic religious brothers tested positive.
The first of the fatalities was Jubita Thabah (65). She had been admitted to NEIGRIHMS on September 27 and at first tested negative. However, she later came into contact with a Covid-19 patient and tested positive on October 4 and died on Tuesday.
The second death was that of Sagar Barua (82), who had a past history of diabetes. He was declared brought dead to Nazareth Hospital yesterday.
The youngest victim reported today was Basuk Thabah (42), who was admitted to Nazreth Hospital on October 11 with severe anaemia and died of cardiac arrest yesterday.
Director of Health Services Dr Aman War, meanwhile, informed that two prisoners in Shillong District Jail, who had recovered from the virus last month, tested positive once again after coming into contact with three new Covid-19 patients inside the jail. Reinfection is extremely rare and only a few cases globally have been reported.
“Since they are asymptomatic they have been kept in isolation on the jail premises,” Dr War said.
Sixty-three Catholic brothers from the Mathias Institute, Xavier Juniorate and SHTC, Mawlai also tested positive for the coronavirus today.
They were among the 124 new Covid-19 cases in East Khasi Hills. There were also 26 new infections in West Garo Hills, five each in East Garo Hills and Ri-Bhoi, four each in East Jaiñtia Hills, South Garo Hills and West Jaiñtia Hills and one case in North Garo Hills. The total for the state was 173 today.
There were also 64 new recoveries, comprising 41 from East Khasi Hills, 13 from West Garo Hills, five from Ri-Bhoi, three from East Jaiñtia Hills and two from South West Khasi Hills.
The state has so far detected a total of 8,164 Covid-19 cases, out of which 2,445 are active, 73 deceased and 5,646 are recovered.
