SHILLONG, Aug 1 - Meghalaya today registered more recoveries than the number of people infected by COVID-19, bringing down the active cases in the hilly State to 597.
Altogether 39 patients recovered in comparison to 33 new positive cases detected across the State during the past 24 hours. Of the new cases, 27 have been reported from East Khasi Hills including eight from the Indian Air Force and three from the BSF. Out of the 39 recoveries, 38 are BSF personnel and one civilian.
The bulk of the total caseload in Meghalaya has occurred in East Khasi Hills district, which accounts for 496 cases. Moreover, 280 BSF personnel have tested positive, most of them belonging to the BSF headquarters located here.
Among the other districts, Ri-Bhoi has the second highest active cases with 46, East Jaintia Hills and West Garo Hills have 16 each, West Jaintia Hills has 14, West Khasi Hills five, South West Garo Hills four, and South Garo Hills has two cases.
The South West Khasi Hills, East Garo Hills and North Garo Hills districts have currently no active cases. In fact, South West Khasi Hills has not reported any COVID-19 case yet.
Meanwhile, the East Khasi Hills district administration has notified some more areas as containment zones, while lifting restrictions from some areas in the State capital.
The Meghalaya Government has said that extensive testing and contact tracing are on in different parts of the State, especially those in the containment zones.
The general secretary of the United Democratic Party, Jemino Mawthoh, today stressed the need of better coordination between the Secretariat, district administrations and the �dorbars� (traditional bodies.)
�The ground reality presents a different picture altogether. The entire process of identification and testing is far from adequate and with this kind of response, a second wave is imminent which will be disastrous if proper handling is not done at this juncture,� Mawthoh warned.
He said that there is �a lot of confusion as far as testing is concerned� and urged the Meghalaya Government and the Health Department to take steps to streamline the process of testing and contact tracing.