Meghalaya strengthens COVID-19 surveillance amid zero cases this year

Meghalaya health authorities have intensified COVID-19 preparedness measures following a high-level review meeting, despite recording zero confirmed cases throughout 2025.

Principal Secretary Sampath Kumar led the Medical Expert Committee assessment, directing all healthcare facilities to strengthen their response systems as national COVID-19 trends emerge elsewhere in the country.

The state's disease surveillance data revealed that no confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported this year, marking a significant milestone since the pandemic began in 2020. However, health officials emphasised the critical need for continued vigilance.

"The need for heightened surveillance through increased testing and preparedness was accorded," according to the health department's directive issued following the review.

All government and private hospitals across Meghalaya must now assess their COVID-19 readiness, including oxygen supplies, intensive care capacity, and monitoring protocols for respiratory infections. Healthcare facilities have been specifically instructed to strengthen surveillance for Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI), Influenza-like Illness (ILI), and fever cases.

The state surveillance officer from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme presented comprehensive data tracking COVID-19 patterns from 2020 through May 2025, alongside current vaccination coverage and public health response capabilities.

Health officials have directed facilities to "revisit inventories of essential drugs and ensure functionality of testing centres across districts." The directive emphasises monitoring high-traffic locations, including markets and public institutions, where respiratory illness transmission risks remain elevated.

Medical institutions must also update their internal standard operating procedures, drawing from effective protocols developed during previous COVID-19 waves. The health department stressed its commitment to "maintaining vigilance, avoiding public panic, and working closely with medical experts and institutions to ensure community safety."

Kumar urged healthcare providers to adopt "a proactive and preventive approach, emphasising the importance of monitoring ILI/SARI/fever trends, especially in high-footfall areas like markets and public institutions."