SHILLONG, July 11 - The Meghalaya Government has declared a two-day lockdown in Shillong and its adjoining areas from Monday next following a huge spike in COVID-19 positive cases in the past 24 hours. As many as 94 cases have been reported in the State during this period, mainly in the State capital.
The total active cases in the State have jumped to 215 and most of the cases (159) have been reported from the BSF headquarters here. Two of the cases are from Indian Air Force personnel and the rest are among civilians. Some Health workers in the NEIGRIHMS have also tested positive and their contact tracing is on.
Announcing the decision to impose the lockdown today, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the lockdown period would be utilised to trace high-risk contacts of positive persons and also allow Health workers to create awareness on health protocols.
�More than 95 per cent of the cases are in Shillong. Therefore, on July 13 and 14, there will be a lockdown in the Shillong agglomerate,� Sangma said.
During this two-day period, the community COVID management committees and the newly established �behavioural change management committees� will create awareness on SOPs and other health protocols in various localities.
The Chief Minister advised the people to stay indoors on Sunday, if possible. �If people can stay indoors on Sunday, they should do so. Stay home, stay safe,� Sangma said.
State Health Minister AL Hek today held meetings with local headmen of Rynjah, Nongmynsong and Mawpat over the conduct of random testing in these areas. Random testing in these areas, which are close to the BSF headquarters, will begin from Wednesday and all the local headmen have given their consent in this regard. The NEIGRIHMS is also close to the BSF headquarters.
Ruling out community transmission in the State capital, the Chief Minister said that the infections have occurred in clusters, the largest being the BSF headquarters.
Meanwhile, Sangma said that eight more persons from the wedding party held at Khanapara have tested positive, taking the total infected persons in that party to ten. The Meghalaya Government has already asked the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner to file an FIR against all 41 people who attended the wedding in violation of all protocols.
The Chief Minister said that over 95 per cent of the patients in Meghalaya are asymptomatic and some have only mild symptoms. Health officials said that such patients do not require hospitalisation and can stay at home in isolation.
Communities are being urged to build isolation facilities so that these can be used by those persons who do not have adequate space for isolation in their homes.
The Chief Minister also said that the State Government would allow people from the State to return for the time being. On an average, 140 people are returning to the State on a daily basis after following strict health protocols at the entry points.