The death of an eight-month-old baby boy has shocked people in North East India, especially in states namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya. The baby had travelled around 400 kms from Arunachal Pradesh to Meghalaya via Assam for treatment and died a few hours after testing positive for COVID-19. Arunachal Pradesh's Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences had recommended the baby for treatment to the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences. (NEIGRIHMS), hospital authorities said in a statement. 

The eight-month-old baby boy's parents had taken the child by road all the way to Shillong and arrived at the hospital in the early hours of Monday. Meghalaya Health Minister AL Hek issued a statement about the tragic death of the infant saying, "On their arrival, the swab samples of the baby were collected and sent for tests. The baby boy tested positive for COVID-19 and later died in the evening,". Both parents of the baby and their driver have tested negative for coronavirus, the minister added.

Health officials in Meghalaya said the baby boy is the second coronavirus patient to die in the state after the first death was recorded on April 5. To date, the state has witnessed 89 COVID-19 cases among whom 44 were active cases with six new cases being added on Tuesday, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said. The state has recorded 43 recoveries, who have since been discharged. 

Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong said the situation in the state at present is not favorable and the government will be left with no other option than to re-impose lockdown in case conditions worsen. He appealed to citizens to take caution from being exposed to the virus unnecessarily. He said, "The situation is not conducive. Therefore, I request each and every citizen to kindly refrain themselves from any unnecessary exposure,".