Eight returnees from Chennai in a special train on Friday night tested positive for COVID-19 in Meghalaya in the rapid test conducted at the testing centres.
Initially 12 tested positive but subsequently four of them tested negative after a test was conducted through RT-PCR test.
Confirming this, health and family welfare minister AL Hek stated that results of all seven individuals from Shillong are awaited at midnight.
Meanwhile, they are all in institutional quarantine for 28 days.
Earlier, Meghalaya government stated out of 873 stranded residents of Meghalaya, who have returned from Tamil Nadu, 12 tested positive for COVID-19 by rapid diagnostic test kits.
This was confirmed by the Meghalaya government in a statement issued on Saturday night.
The statement said seven of the infected persons are from East Khasi Hills, four from Tura and one from the Ri Bhoi district.
“Immediately, they were taken to quarantine centre in their respective district,” said the statement.
“Their samples were collected and sent for PCR test at NEIGRIHMS and Tura Civil Hospital.”
“The results for all four from Tura and one from Ri Bhoi confirmed negative, while the results for seven returnees from East Khasi Hills will come out on Sunday,” the statement quoting deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong said.
“The government is thankful to all the concerned deputy commissioners, district medical and health officers and traditional heads for working hard in receiving the returnees from Tamil Nadu,” the statement added.
Meghalaya earlier recorded only one active COVID-19 case while 11 patients recovered from the disease.
The deadly disease claimed the life of the state’s first COVID-19 positive patient.