678 tested negative for COVID-19: CM

SHILLONG, APR 19: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Sunday said that all 10 patients tested positive are stable.

Sangma informed that 678 of 766 samples collected have been tested negative for COVID-19, while the results of 77 are awaited.

He said that a total of 24,382 have been screened while 4,198 people are under home quarantine and 175 under institutional quarantine.

According to him, a total of 199 primary contacts and 5,363 secondary contacts of the index patient (who passed away recently) have been established.

He said the wife of index patient is stable and in home quarantine adding the domestic help of index patient is also stable but is in institutional quarantine.

He also informed that to effectively monitor home quarantine, the government is using the Corontine App developed by IIT Bombay. The following persons are mandated to download the app.

(a) Visited Bethany Hospital, Shillong on or after 24th March

(b) Visited Bethany Hospital, Nongpoh on or after 30th March

(c) Identified as primary contact or secondary contact of the corona positive patients.

“The database of about 5,300 individuals who fall in the above categories is with the health and family welfare department. These individuals will all receive an SMS or a link via WhatsApp on their mobile phones to download the app today,” the Chief Minister said.

He further said that the features of this app was to ensure that the users follow quarantine protocols. “It also notifies if there are positive cases around you and it helps authorities contain the spread of the virus. The government will also ensure that all families under compulsory home quarantine downloaded the app,” the Chief Minister stressed.

“The government will also ensure that all families under compulsory Home Quarantine have downloaded the app are given free home delivery of rations so that they don’t have to step out of their homes. We will start the process from April 22 and will reach all the households soon,” the Chief Minister added.

He also informed that by tonight Bethany Hospital Shillong will be completely evacuated. “All the doctors and staff at the hospital have been tested. The results of all are negative, but three are still awaited. All who tested negative have been shifted to various isolation facilities.”

“All the inpatients have also been tested and found negative. All have been moved to isolation facilities or discharged to go home. Fourteen doctors and staff are in Bethany Hospital to complete the lockdown of the hospital,” the Chief Minister informed.

Meanwhile, Sangma also said a total of 10,287 have been registered for CM’s special grant for stranded people.

Over 1.92 lakh unorganised labourers have also been registered for special assistance of Rs 2100 while 9,302 labourers are provided support under Building and Other Construction Workers Act (Rs 3,000 each) and 31,231 farmers have been released an amount of Rs 2,000 each under the PM Kisan Yojana.

The CM further informed that transportation of agricultural and allied products of all kinds, harvesting and sowing related machineries and other agriculture/horticulture implements, feed and fodder of fish, hatcheries, cattle, piggery and poultry, agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilisers etc is allowed.

By Our Reporter