Meghalaya likely to be 6th corona-free state in N-E region

Out of the eight states in northeast India, Meghalaya would soon be the sixth COVID-19-free state. While no cases have been reported from Sikkim and Nagaland, three other states -- Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura -- became coronavirus-free last month.

Guwahati/Shillong: Meghalaya would soon be the sixth COVID-19-free state out of the eight states in northeast India as the state's 10 of the 11 corona patients tested negative while of the total 42 positive cases, Assam's active cases now stand at only nine, Ministers and officials said on Friday.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma told media in Shillong that out of the 11 active cases, 10 were retested and their swab samples were found to be negative.

"The second test of the 11th patient has come out negative and within 24 hours, another testing would be done and if that also comes out negative, the patient would be declared recovered," the Chief Minister said after a review meeting.

The mountainous state had found a total of 12 COVID-19 positive cases out of which 11 were active until Thursday and one person, a doctor, died.

Most of the positive cases are either family members or private hospital's staff.

In Guwahati, Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said three more patients following their recovery from coronavirus were discharged from hospitals on Friday. "Only nine active cases remained in the state and were undergoing treatments in various medical colleges and hospitals," he told the media.

Assam's total positive case of 42 exclude a 33-year-old trader from Nagaland's Dimapur who is undergoing treatment at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) since April 12 after he tested positive for coronavirus.

"Nagaland patient also discharged from the GMCH on Friday," Sarma said, adding that most of the nine patients undergoing treatments in various medical colleges and hospitals are expected to be released within a few days.

Of Assam's 42 cases, 37 people directly or indirectly participated in Delhi's Nizamuddin Tablighi Jamaat congregation while one patient, with a history of foreign travel, died in southern Assam on April 10.

The first patient to test positive for coronavirus in Assam -- 57-year-old ex-trooper of Border Security Force, who was detected on March 31 -- is still undergoing treatment at Silchar Medical College and Hospital. He is a cancer patient too.

While no cases have been reported from Sikkim and Nagaland, three other states -- Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura -- became coronavirus-free last month.

IANS REPORT