Although Meghalaya as a whole is reeling from the effects of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Khasi-Jaintia Hills districts are experiencing a fatality rate more than three times that of Garo Hills.
Since the start of April there have been 15 Covid-related fatalities in Garo Hills and 318 in Khasi-Jaintia Hills.
In the same time there have been 2,089 coronavirus cases recorded in Garo Hills and 14,338 in Khasi-Jaintia Hills, giving a fatality rate of 0.72 percent and 2.22 percent respectively.
It is difficult to parse the statistics on Covid-related fatalities by individual district because often the deaths are counted in the district where the patient expired rather than where the people were from – for example, with Shillong having the best medical facilities in the state, it is common for patients from around Khasi-Jaintia Hills come to the city hospitals for treatment. The same also appears to be the case in Garo Hills, with the seriously ill being treated in Tura.
A better way is to break down fatalities by western range (the whole of Garo Hills) and eastern range (Khasi-Jaintia Hills).
The statistics tell two contrasting tales. The eastern districts have recorded 446 (92 percent) Covid deaths in total and Garo Hills 37 (8 percent) out of the total of 483.
Breaking this down by first (April 2020-March 2021) and second (April-May 2021) waves, we see that Garo Hills had a Covid fatality rate of 0.85 percent in the first wave and Khasi-Jaintia Hills 1.12 percent, which is higher but only 1.32 times as much.
That all changes in the ongoing second wave, with Garo Hills, as mentioned earlier, on 0.72 percent and Khasi-Jaintia Hills on 2.22 percent, which is 3.09 times higher.
There could be various explanations for this stark difference: if very serious Covid cases travel to Assam or Shillong for treatment, then they may not show up in Meghalaya’s coronavirus statistics. It could also be that procedures and/or reporting standards differ between the eastern and western ranges of the state. Another factor could be that the second wave hit Garo Hills later than it arrived in Khasi-Jaintia Hills, but the authorities will be hoping to avoid the terrible loss of life seen in the eastern range through strict containment measures now.
