Health Minister A L Hek today tested positive for Covid-19.
The minister had last week visited New Delhi and met a number of Union ministers. He returned to Shillong on October 19. He was already under quarantine since the day he came back to the State.
After his return, Hek was tested through CBNAAT on October 20 for test and the results which came out today showed him to be Covid positive.
Hek is currently in self-isolation at a guest house here and is reported to be fine.
Hek is the second minister of the MDA government to have tested positive, after Power Minister James K. Sangma who tested positive at Imphal in Manipur on September 12.
Earlier on October 7, Hek’s 25-year-old daughter had tested positive for Covid-19. She has recovered from the disease.
Meanwhile, a 27-year-old woman succumbed to Covid-19 on October 23 at NEIGRIHMS here taking the death toll in the State due to the virus to 81.
Manibala Debbarma, a resident of Sayadachara, Kumarghat, North Tripura was admitted in NEIGRIHMS on October 19 and passed away on October 23 at 3:32 pm.
According to Director of Health Services (MI), Dr. Aman War, the cause of death was refractory septic shock with severe sepsis, Covid-19 positive with auto immune haemolytic anaemia with chronic kidney disease.
Dr. War informed that since the woman tested positive in Shillong, her death is being counted in Meghalaya.
Meanwhile, Meghalaya today recorded 136 new cases of Covid-19 and 104 new recoveries. With this, the number of active cases in the State now stands at 1605 while the number of recoveries is 7228.
Of the fresh cases, Ri-Bhoi reported the maximum with 76 followed by East Khasi Hills with 39, West Garo Hills eight, East Jaintia Hills seven and North Garo Hills three. Three districts – South Garo Hills, South West Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills recorded one case each.
