The COVID19 fatality rose to 29 in Meghalaya after a 67-year-old patient died of the disease while the total COVID19 cases in the state have crossed the 4,000-mark on Tuesday.

Meghalaya registered 172 new COVID19 positive cases on Tuesday, taking the total to 4,037, a jump from 3,000 to 4,000 cases within 9 days.

The state recorded a total of 2,018 positive cases on August 25, which increased to 3,005 cases on September 6.

Director health services (MI) Dr. Aman War said 67-year-old Gopal Chandra Bak Das, who was also suffering from diabetes mellitus type 2 and hypertension, passed away at the Shillong Civil Hospital around 3.25 pm.

“He was admitted to the COVID ICU ward and tested positive for COVID19 on September 12,” Dr War informed.

Out of 172 new cases detected on Tuesday, 61 cases were from Star Cements factory at Lumshnong in East Jaiñtia Hills district, 74 from East Khasi Hills district, 23 from Ri-Bhoi district, 9 from West Garo Hills, two from South West Garo Hills district and one each from North Garo Hills, South Garo Hills and West Jaintia Hills districts.

The Star Cements factory was declared a containment zone on September 11.

The DHS informed that 39 COVID19 patients, including 24 from West Garo Hills district, 10 from East Khasi Hills district, three from East Jaiñtia Hills district and one each from Ri-Bhoi district and South Garo Hills district, have recovered.

The total number of patients, who have recovered so far, is 2,190.

Meanwhile, random re-tests for COVID19 were carried out at Raj Bhavan, Shillong on Tuesday.

The swab samples of the secretary to the Governor, Pravin Bakshi, was confirmed negative in the third and fourth re-tests through RT-PCR and CB-NAAT.

Governor Satya Pal Malik tested negative.

A total of 41 Raj Bhavan staff members, including one of the two ADCs to the Governor, Deputy Secretary, House Controller and an accountant in the Governor’s House had tested positive for COVID19.

The staff quarters behind the Raj Bhavan Campus, Shillong, were declared as ‘micro-containment area’ restricting unregulated entry and exit on the site.