Shillong, Aug 5: The number of fatalities due to COVID-19 related complications in East Khasi Hills, the most pandemic-hit district, which includes Meghalaya capital Shillong went up to 802 with the death of five more infected persons, even as three more deaths due to the viral disease were reported from other districts, taking the number of casualties to 1133 in the State on Thursday. “The Ri-Bhoi district, West Garo Hills district and West Khasi Hills district reported one death each due to COVID-19 on Thursday,” Director of Health Services (MI), Dr. Aman War said, adding that of the eight persons who succumbed to the viral disease in the State over the past 24 hours, six were not vaccinated against the virulent virus. On the other hand, 576 new cases of COVID-19 added up to 5,574 active cases and 510 more cases of recovery from the viral infection surged the number of recovered cases to 60,885 in the State, which has registered 67,592 confirmed cases till date. With 2,183 active COVID-19 cases, the East Khasi Hills is the most COVID-19 affected district, followed by West Garo Hills district with 810 active cases, West Khasi Hills district with 765 active cases, West Jaintia Hills district with 566 active cases, Ri-Bhoi with 541 active cases, South West Khasi Hills district with 267 active cases and East Jaintia Hills district with 135 active cases, while the other districts had less than 100 active cases each as per the latest virus count. As on date 8,71,677 persons have been tested for COVID-19 across the State, with 8,04,085 of the results coming out negative for the virus, as per data released by the National Health Mission, Meghalaya. Meanwhile, as on Thursday, 31,872 health care workers had received the first dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 and 23,416 were administered with the second dose, 96,937 front-line workers got the first jab and 45,423 took the second shot, 7,82,350 persons from among the general public were inoculated with the first dose and 1,42,447 citizens were fully vaccinated with the second shot across the state, as per official report received from the State health and family welfare department. Containment measures, including night curfew are in force across the State, which has been subject to sharp spike in COVID-19 cases, even as the government has been making efforts to enhance vaccination among the people with the rate of inoculation being way short of the national average.
