Meghalaya has sent 185 samples for COVID-19 test, out of which six have tested positive including the death of the state’s first coronavirus patient.
The first COVID-19 positive patient of the state, John L Sailo Ryntathiang, director of Bethany Hospital, passed away on Wednesday at 2.45 am.
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Meghalaya Commissioner and secretary, health and family welfare, Sampath Kumar, said that from the first batch of 68 samples sent for test, six have tested positive and the other six samples have been sent for reconfirmation.
The 185 samples were collected for test after the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Shillong city.
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The samples collected include 165 from East Khasi Hills and 24 from Ri Bhoi district.
Kumar said that the results of the other samples are awaited from NEIGRIHMS Mawdiangdiang, Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) and Barpeta Medical College Hospital.
He informed that some of the samples had to be sent to Guwahati and Barpeta due to the urgency of the matter and the limited capacity of the testing facility at NEIGRIHMS Mawdiangdiang.