The antigen test kit used for random testing of people at Jhalupara in Shillong has confirmed 14 positive cases on Tuesday, and the Meghalaya health department stated that such cases have been counted as positive cases, and need not be confirmed again through RT-PCR.
Earlier, the state health department did not count the positive cases tested through antigen test kits without confirming through RT-PCR.
“Now we have counted cases which came out positive during random testing by using the antigen test kit because many positive cases were detected. Earlier there were doubts because only one or two positive cases were detected suing the antigen test kit, and they have to be confirmed through RT-PCR test,” Director of Health Services (MI), Dr Aman War said.
Random testing is going on in some areas of Shillong city. In some areas, like Laitumkhrah and Mawpat, not a single positive case was detected out of several tests conducted.
At Jhalupara, Dr War said that 14 persons have tested positive out of several hundreds of tests conducted, adding that at Upper Mawprem, three positive cases were also detected.
However, test reports are awaited from the random testing conducted at commercial places like Khyndai Lad and Anjalee parking lot.
Dr War said that earlier, those who tested positive during random testing using the antigen test kit, have to be confirmed again through RT-PCR test because only one or two persons had tested positive.
Areas like Rilbong in the city, more than 40 persons have tested positive during the random testing and these have been counted as confirmed positive cases.
Altogether, 39 new COVID-19 positive cases were detected on Tuesday taking the number of active cases to 766, while six patients have recovered from the infection.
The number of persons who have recovered from COVID-19 has gone up to 685.
While 27 new cases were reported in East Khasi Hills district which include 11 BSF personnel, seven other armed forces and nine civilians, the other new cases include, seven cases in West Garo Hills which include two BSF personnel and five civilians, three civilians in Ri-Bhoi district, and one case each in East Jaiñtia Hills and South West Garo Hills district.
The six patients who have recovered from COVID-19 on Tuesday include one civilian and three BSF in East Khasi Hills district, besides one civilian and one BSF in West Garo Hills district.
Meghalaya has 1,457 COVID-19 cases so far, which include 766 active cases, 685 persons who have recovered, and six deaths.