Meghalaya recorded 32 new COVID19 positive cases while two patients succumbed to the virus on Sunday increasing the number of deaths to four in the state.

The 32 new positive cases took the number of active cases to 397 and a total of 450 positive cases in Meghalaya so far.

Director of health services (MI), Dr Aman War told reporters on Sunday evening that the two patients who succumbed to the virus at NEIGRIHMS include geologist Banteilang Syngai (40) and BSF jawan Nandeshwar Deury (46) of the BSF camp at Umpling in Shillong.

Syngai, a resident of Ladsharai in Ri-Bhoi district, was serving at the Geological Survey of India (GSI) at Kolkata.

The geologist was buried at a cemetery in Ri Bhoi district and the BSF jawan was cremated in Shillong.

Also read: Two more die of COVID-19 in Meghalaya

According to a bulletin issued by NEIGRIHMS, the BSF jawan had a history of contact with a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID19.

He developed COVID19 symptoms and was tested positive on July 4.

He was also a known case of Type-II diabetes.

The jawan was initially undergoing treatment at the BSF Composite Hospital, Umpling but was referred to Shillong Civil Hospital in view of worsening breathlessness and persistent cough.

He was then transferred to NEIGRIHMS on July 13 as he required ICU care due to worsening symptoms, after which, he was being treated in the COVID ICU.

The BSF jawan had acute respiratory distress syndrome with severe sepsis and multi-organ failure and did not improve with treatment.

He developed respiratory and cardiac failure which did not improve with resuscitative efforts and expired on Sunday at 2 am.

On the GSI employee, NEIGHRIM said the patient was admitted to NEIGRIHMS with complaints of pain in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen.

He returned from Kolkata on July 5 and was in a quarantine facility prior to his transfer to NEIGRIHMS.

On evaluation, he was diagnosed as a case of acute calculus cholecystitis.

His sample was taken for RT-PCR which was positive for SARS-COV2.

He was shifted to the COVID isolation ward and was conservatively managed.

During his course of stay, he developed diarrhea and acute kidney injury (AKI) and was transferred to the COVID ICU for further management.

His two samples on July 16 and 17 were negative.

He however developed sudden onset respiratory failure on July 18.

Initially, he managed on non-invasive ventilation but did not improve and was subsequently intubated.

His respiratory failure worsened and he developed respiratory and cardiac arrest on July 18.

CPR was given according to ACLS protocol but he could not be revived and passed away.

The bulletins were issued by Dr Noor Topno, medical superintendent of NEIGHRIMS and Dr Vijay Noel Nongpiur, nodal officer, NEIGRIHMS.

Meghalaya recorded the first death due to coronavirus on April 15 when renowned physician Dr John L Sailo Ryntathiang passed away at Bethany Hospital, Shillong after he tested positive on April 13.

The second death was an 8 months old baby boy from Arunachal Pradesh who died at NEIGRIHMS on July 7.

The baby was brought to NEIGRIHMS for treatment of an ailment but he was tested positive for COVID19 and succumbed to the infection.

Meanwhile, Dr War informed that the 32 new positive cases reported on Sunday include 29 BSF personnel in East Khasi Hills district and two others which include one resident of Khanapara in Ri-Bhoi district.

There are 268 BSF personnel infected by the virus so far in Meghalaya.