Meghalaya government has activated helpline no 1070 for the citizens, who visited Bethany Hospital in Shillong in the last 20 days, due to heavy traffic in helpline no 108.
The state government on Monday night urged the citizens to call 108 to get their names registered if they had visited Bethany Hospital on or after March 22 after a senior doctor of the private hospital tested positive for COVID19.
The 69-year-old doctor is Meghalaya’s first COVID19 positive patient.
Also read: Shillong doctor first COVID19 positive case of Meghalaya
Informing about the new helpline number on his Twitter handle, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma said: “Due to heavy traffic in the helpline no 108, we have activated 1070 no for citizens to call and register, who have visited Bethany Hospital on or after March 22.”
Due to heavy traffic in the helpline no 108, we have activated 1070 no for citizens to call and register, who have visited Bethany Hospital on or after March 22.
— Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) April 13, 2020
It seems the news of the hospital’s doctor being infected by the deadly virus has created a panic situation among the people of the state, who visited the hospital in the last 20 days, and their family members.
A Twiterrati said “people will not come forward so easily because they are afraid” and he urged the government to get the “attendance data mailed by hospital authorities and it will be easier for the Govt authorities to get in touch with the people”.