Shillong: Meghalaya Health Minister AL Hek has tested positive for COVID-19 and is undergoing home isolation, an official said on Sunday.
Hek is the second minister in the state to have contracted the disease. Earlier, power minister James P K Sangma was diagnosed with the infection.
Hek, also a senior BJP leader in the state, was found positive for the infection on Saturday and has been asymptomatic, Health Services director Aman War said.
The minister had recently returned from Delhi where he met several BJP leaders.
At least 136 more people, including the health minister, tested positive for the disease, taking the tally in the northeastern state to 8,914, War said.
The death toll rose to 81 after one more patient succumbed to the disease, he said.
Meghalaya now has 1,605 active coronavirus cases.
Altogether 104 patients were cured of the disease on Sunday, taking the total number of recoveries to 7,228, War said.
Over 1.9 lakh samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the state so far, he said.
