Shillong, June 30:Two more persons have tested COVID-19 in the past 24 hours taking the total tally as of now up to 52 in Meghalaya, a health official said on Tuesday.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Alexander Laloo Hek said one of the positive cases detected was the wife of a Border Security Force (BSF) driver who had tested positive on Monday.

The driver is one of the three BSF personnel from the Meghalaya Frontier Headquarters who had tested positive earlier.

Hek said that the wife of the BSF driver who has tested positive has been admitted at a BSF hospital.

He informed contact tracing is still on at the BSF Meghalaya Frontier Headquarters.

The other reported positive cases include a State Bank of India branch manager, who was transferred from Assam’s Guwahati to Meghalaya’s East Jaiñtia Hills district. He is the 52nd positive patient in Meghalaya.

Meanwhile, this branch manager was found to have violated the COVID-19 protocol while travelling from Assam to Meghalaya.

“The branch manager of SBI was newly appointed as the branch manager of SBI Khliehriat in East Jaiñtia Hills district,” Hek told reporters on Tuesday.

Director Health Services (MI), Dr Aman War said that the branch manager, had shown his identity card at the Byrnihat check point and those manning the check point there did not screen him.

thinking that he would stop in Shillong and get himself tested.

“However he proceeded straight to Khliehriat. It was only after the vigilant Dorbar Shnong at Khliehriat informed the office of the DC of East Jaiñtia Hills district about the arrival of the branch manager and the DC office informed the same to the health department. After sending for quarantine, samples for COVID-19 test were taken and the result came out positive,” Dr War said.

Whether the SBI branch manager has violated the protocol, Dr War said, “it appears to be a case of violation (of the protocol) and an FIR has to be filed if found so.”

Hek also said action would be taken and an FIR would be filed.

The Health Minister informed that as on Tuesday, 19,016 persons from outside have entered Meghalaya.

Hek said that out of 19,326 samples sent for COVID-19 test, 19,028 samples have been tested negative, and the results for 246 tests are awaited.

He also informed that 21 persons have recently returned from Nepal to Meghalaya and their samples have been collected for COVID-19 test.

So far, Meghalaya has recorded a total of 52 COVID-19 positive cases, including one death, 9 active and 42 recoveries.

The active cases include 5 in East Khasi Hills district, 2 in South West Garo Hills and one each in Ri-Bhoi and East Jaiñtia Hills district.