Shillong, Oct 11 (UNI) Meghalaya on Sunday reported 139 new COVID-19 cases, taking the number of active cases to 2478, while one more person succumbed to the viral infection pushing the fatality count to 63, health officials said.

On the other hand, the ongoing night curfew has been extended throughout the state from October 12 to 19 from 9 pm to 5 am each day “in order to put in place preventive and mitigation measures so the pandemic of COVID-19 is contained, reduced and eliminated”, an official order issued on Sunday said.

Director Health Services (MI), Dr. Aman War said that the deceased was identified as Samarjeet Gupta (65) of Mahendraganj in South West Garo Hills district.

Of the new cases, Dr. War said 74 were detected in East Khasi Hills district, 25 in Ri-Bhoi district, 17 in West Garo Hills district, nine in East Garo Hills district, five in South West Khasi Hills district, four in South West Garo Hills district, two each in West Jaintia Hills district and West Khasi Hills district and one in South Garo Hills district.

With 1,736 active cases, East Khasi Hills district, including Shillong is the most COVID-19 affected district in the State.

The senior medical official also informed that 97 more persons recovered from the viral infection today, taking the number of recoveries in the state to 5,142 so far.

“Of the new recoveries as on Sunday, 61 were reported from East Khasi Hills district, 13 from Ri-Bhoi district, seven each from West Garo Hillsdistrict and South West Garo Hills district, six from East Jaintia Hills district and three from West Jaintia Hills district,” he said.

Meanwhile, the government in its order prohibits operation of all cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoria, assembly halls and similar recreational places, all forms of contact sports, competitive sports events and spectators in sports grounds and stadia.

“Inter-District movement of persons is permitted and inter-State movement of persons will be strictly as per instruction of the Government of Meghalaya and all persons entering Meghalaya will have to mandatorily register for testing @ http://meghalayaonline.gov.in/covid/testing.htm,” the official order said.

“Tourist spots/places are permitted to re-open for local tourists from within the State with effect from October 16, 2020 in compliance to the SOP issued by the Tourism Department, Government of Meghalaya,” the order read, adding that religious places/places of worship of all faiths are permitted to re-open subject to strict compliance to the SOP as laid down by the Government.

Border trade with Bangladesh through Land Customs Stations is permitted subject to strict compliance of the SOP issued by the Commerce and Industries Department, Government of Meghalaya. However, trade through border haat (traditional market) is not permitted.

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