All Chennai returnees who travelled with lone +ve patient tested negative: Conrad Sangma

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Wednesday informed that all those who had returned along with the lone positive case in the State from Chennai has tested negative and are  kept under institutional quarantine.

One person from Garo Hills had tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. Giving out details of the patient, CM Conrad Sangma said that few people had returned on a second train which was a part of another state convoy and when they were examined with the RT-PCR test, one person tested positive.

Sangma informed that the person is asymptomatic and has been kept in the Corona care centre and all the people who had come along with him had undergone PCR test and all have come out negative but still they are kept in the quarantine centre at least the primary ones.

Stating that one needs to understand and realize the kind of situation of having cases especially with people coming from ‘Red Zones’ is something that one can expect and not be surprised, the Chief Minister said that what is more important is to be prepared for it.

He asserted that the fact the State has put multi layered screening in place like checking temperature, Rapid Test Kits and now up-scaling it further to have PCR test is why the detection was made.

On being enquired whether everyone returning will have to undergo RT-PCR test, Sangma said that they will do it in batches and all the people coming in from Red Zones will undergo Rapid Test as well as PCR.

Talking about special flights and trains to bring back the stranded, the Chief Minister said the State has done it’s part by contacting various airline services. He informed that the matter has been discussed with the Centre and is awaiting go ahead from the MHA and Civil Aviation Ministry.

He added the state government is paying for the special trains and it has eased 70-80 percent of the problem and the State will continue doing that.