Meghalaya reported 321 new cases of Covid-19 and five fatalities related to the disease in the last 24 hours, the Health Department informed Sunday.
Both statistics are a new and unwelcome record for 2021. One piece of encouraging news is that more than 3 lakh doses of the vaccine have now been administered in the State.
Chief Secretary M S Rao warned that hospital bed occupancy in the State is “rising sharply” and requested that the public keep movement to the absolute minimum to prevent the spread of infection. He also encouraged all those eligible to get vaccinated.
The fatalities reported today were from across a range of ages. Three were male and two female.
A Catholic priest Father Surendra Kumar Kanher (48) of the Visitation Parish, Lumshnong in East Jaintia Hills, was brought dead to the Maternity and Child Hospital in Jowai on May 1. He had tested positive for Covid-19 the day before and was referred to the hospital by Khliehriat Community Health Centre.
Wannalin Marwein (41), of Nongrah in Shillong, was admitted to Bethany Hospital on May 1 and died there the same day. The cause of death was acute respiratory distress syndrome, severe Covid-19 pneumonia, septic shock and Type 2 diabetes.
Payal Agarwal (29), of Nongrim Hills in Shillong, was admitted to Bethany Hospital on April 23 and died today morning. The cause of death was acute respiratory distress syndrome, multi-organ dysfunction syndrome and Covid pneumonia.
Nidhu Ranjan Paul (62), of Rilbong in Shillong, was admitted to Woodland Hospital on April 26 and passed away today morning. The cause of death was severe Covid-19 pneumonia, chronic kidney disease, Type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
Ebrin Lyngdoh (63), of Khliehriat in East Jaintia Hills, was admitted to Supercare Hospital on April 29 and passed away today morning. The cause of death was Type 1 respiratory failure, Covid-19 pneumonia, Type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
Meanwhile, returnees made up 97 of today’s new Covid cases in the State.
East Khasi Hills accounted for 212 of the new infections – 57 among returnees, seven armed forces/paramilitaries, 55 high-risk contacts, 27 influenza-like illnesses (ILIs), nine through screening, two health workers, one police personnel, six severe acute respiratory infections (SARIs), one in Baniun, one in in Bishnupur, one in Happy Valley, one in Iewduh, one in Jaiaw, one in Laban, two in Lachumiere, two in Laitumkhrah, two in Lumparing, two in Madanrting, six in Mawdiangdiang, six in Mawlai, one in Mawpat, two in Mawprem, three in Nongrah, two in Nongthymmai, two in Nongrim Hills, six in Khyndailad, five in Rynjah and one in Umpling.
West Garo Hills reported 41 new cases (23 high-risk, seven returnees, seven ILIs, three in Phulbari and one armed forces/paramilitaries), West Jaintia Hills 20 (11 returnees, six high-risk, three ILIs), Ri-Bhoi 15 (six high-risk, five returnees, three through screening, one health worker), East Jaintia Hills 11 (five returnees, four ILIs, one high-risk, one through screening), West Khasi Hills 11 (six in Riangdo, four returnees, one high-risk), North Garo Hills four (two returnees, two ILIs), South West Khasi Hills three (all returnees), South West Garo Hills two (one returnee, one through screening), East Garo Hills one (returnee) and South Garo Hills one (returnee).
There were also 154 recoveries – 114 in East Khasi Hills, 24 in Ri-Bhoi, five in East Jaintia Hills, four in West Jaintia Hills, four in South West Khasi Hills, two in West Khasi Hills and one in North Garo Hills.
There are now 1,821 active Covid-19 cases in the state. East Khasi Hills alone accounts for 1,189 active cases, Ri-Bhoi 177, West Garo Hills 124 and West Jaintia Hills 100.
In all, Meghalaya has had 17,429 Covid-19 cases, of which 1,821 are active, 15,429 have recovered and 179 have died from the virus.
The recovery rate has fallen to 88.52 percent. The fatality rate is 1.03 percent.
More than 3.03 lakh doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered as of today in the State.
