Representative image.

Fifty samples from primary contact of the first COVID-19 case in Meghalaya on Wednesday tested negative.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, in a twitter message, said all the 50 samples sent to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital tested negative.

Meghalaya had sent 185 samples for COVID-19 test, out of which six have tested positive.

The first COVID19 positive patient of Meghalaya, Dr John L Sailo Ryntathiang,  director of Bethany Hospital, passed away on Wednesday at 2.45 am.

The 185 samples were collected for test after the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Shillong city.

The samples collected include 165 from East Khasi Hills and 20 from Ri Bhoi district.

Results of the other samples are awaited from NEIGRIHMS and Barpeta Medical College Hospital in Assam.

Samples had to be sent to Guwahati and Barpeta due to the urgency of the matter and the limited capacity of the testing facility at NEIGRIHMS in Shillong.