Meghalaya: Four people test COVID positive as random testing begins

"Four persons who were high risk contacts of a COVID-19 patient who is presently in Assam have tested positive for the same in Ri-Bhoi district," Chief Minister Conrad Sangma tweeted.

With these latest detections, Meghalaya has registered 66 positive cases, which includes 22 active cases and one death, while 43 have recovered from the viral infection.
Ri-Bhoi district bordering Assam's Kamrup district has recorded 9 active cases in the last six days.

Health and Family Welfare Minister, Alexander Laloo Hek said that the four persons have contracted the viral infection from another person, a resident of 13 mile in Ri-Bhoi, who had tested positive for COVID-19 in Assam.

"The high-risk COVID-19 patient was in Guwahati for medical treatment," Hek said, adding that further details are awaited.

With the surge of positive cases in the neighbouring Assam, the Meghalaya government had clamped a 48-hour curfew in Byrnihat to Khanapara area along the Assam-Meghalaya boundary from Friday night till Monday morning.

"We have started conducting random testings from Khanapara to Byrnihat area this morning in our bid to break the transmission chain in those bordering areas," the Health Minister said, even as he appealed to the residents to cooperate with the government in the endeavour.