Shillong, June 29: The Meghalaya government has requested the Union Home Ministry to keep on hold transfer of Central government employees including paramilitary forces from other states to state in view of the rise of COVID-19 positive cases.

The decision assumed importance after three BSF personnel and an army man who came to Meghalaya from other states had tested positive for COVID-19 recently.

“We have decided to request the Union government to put on hold transfer and postings of Central Armed Police Forces, Banks and other Central government employees as the situation in the State is not conducive as far as COVID-19 is concerned,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told journalists on Monday during his daily briefings.

Tynsong said that the chief secretary has been asked to immediately send a letter to the secretary of Union ministry of home affairs for putting on hold the proposed transfer of such officials.

Meghalaya recorded a total of 50 COVID-19 positive cases and those infected by the virus were mostly people who returned from other states. There are seven active cases, 42 persons infected by the virus have recovered, and one died.

Health Minister, A L Hek informed that out of 19,287 samples sent for the test till date, 18,567 samples had been tested negative. The results of 580 tests are awaited.

Contact tracing of three BSF personnel who tested positive for Coronavirus is being done by the BSF authorities besides the Surveillance Teams of the state health department.