Meghalaya forms medical expert team to provide advice,

The Meghalaya government on Saturday constituted a state-level medical expert committee for providing advice and guidance to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, officials said.

Chief Secretary M S Rao notified the committee which will be headed by Health and Family Welfare Department Commissioner and Secretary, Sampath Kumar.

The members of the committee include doctors of state-run hospitals and specialists in rehabilitation and community empowerment.

"The committee shall provide advice and guidance to the government and other medical practitioners working in various hospitals to handle and treat COVID-19 patients and to assess and examine various lines of treatment used and recommended by affected states and countries," Rao said.

No coronavirus case has been reported in Meghalaya so far.

The committee will recommend key insights to the state government and also advice on any matter related to COVID-19, he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma reviewed the state's preparedness to handle the coronavirus outbreak, at Tura in West Garo Hills district.

He said 300 beds are being readied in Tura and 200 in Shillong for treating COVID-19 patients.

The state government will soon have a coronavirus testing facility at Tura Civil Hospital, he added.