Over 7,000 people stranded

across the country may return to Meghalaya soon and the state's capacity to test COVID-19 cases is expected to reach 600 a day within two weeks, members of the Assembly were informed on Thursday.

Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh chaired a meeting in which Chief Secretary M S Rao provided the members with a detailed picture of the coronavirus situation in the state.

"Within the next two weeks, the capacity is expected to increase to 600 tests per day," a joint statement signed by the Speaker, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Leader of Opposition Mukul M Sangma, said.

On an average, around 150 COVID-19 tests are conducted daily in the state now, official sources said.

Till Wednesday, a total of 2,537 samples have been tested in the state which currently has one active coronavirus case. One patient had died of the disease and 11 have been cured, the chief secretary said at the meeting.

He said over 9,400 people of Meghalaya, who have been stranded outside the Northeastern region, have registered their names in a government web page created for the purpose.

"Of them, 7,100 are expected to return," Rao informed the MLAs.

The top official also provided them with the protocol being followed in bringing back the people of Meghalaya from various parts of the country.

He said 3,978 people, mainly those stuck in other Northeastern states, were already brought back.

A total of 1,861 free provision kits were distributed till May 13 for all individuals under mandatory home quarantine.

Besides, a total of 2,653 home visits were made for enforcing quarantine, the chief secretary said.

Rao said that Meghalaya now has 3,227 beds available for treating COVID-19 patients.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)