Shillong, May 28 – An overwhelming majority of the over 10,000 returnees to Meghalaya so far have tested negative for COVID-19, barring a few, who recently tested positive for the virus, a health official said on Thursday.

Out of the 6840 samples tested so far, 6562 came out negative while the results of the 258 were awaited, a health official said.

Meghalaya has so far registered 20 COVID-19 positive cases, of which 12 have recovered, one died and seven remain active and under treatment.

All the positive cases were recent returnees to the state – two from Tamil Nadu and five from Delhi-Haryana.

Several other residents of Meghalaya, who had been stranded in other states due to the ongoing nationwide lockdown, are expected to reach the state over the next few days.