Tura, May 24: A man who refused to undergo testing for Covid in a containment zone in remote South Garo Hills has died of the disease, today.

The 40-year-old man was a resident of Mengkulgittim village in the far-off area of Rongsa Awe under Nangalbibra hospital jurisdiction.

“Last week he refused to undergo testing during house to house surveillance by health workers after the village was made a containment area following the detection of positive cases. This morning he died and a test on the body revealed covid positive, ” announced doctors from South Garo Hills.

Magistrate and police had to be called in to remove the body for burial under strict covid guidelines.

The death toll now stands at 4 in the south Garo hills district and Monday alone saw 17 new positive cases.

Surveillance teams since last week have been conducting random tests in villages and as many as 2044 cases have been undertaken with 225 positive cases detected so far.