Guwahati/Kohima/Agartala, June 6 (IANS): Nagaland, which was coronavirus-free two weeks ago, on Saturday become the fourth northeastern state after Assam, Tripura and Manipur with total positive cases in three digits.

Nagaland Health Minister S. Pangnyu Phom tweeted: "13 new corona cases reported in the last 24 hours. All those who tested positive are Chennai returnees."

According to the Nagaland health officials, total positive cases in the state increased to 107 since May 25 when its first case was reported.

With 154 new cases in the past 24 hours, Assam's total tally climbed to 2,397 on Saturday night, with 1,802 active cases, state health officials said.

Tripura follows with 695 cases, including 518 active cases, Manipur 143 cases (91 active), Nagaland 107 cases (99 active), Arunachal Pradesh 47 cases (46 active), Meghalaya 33 cases (19 active), Mizoram 24 cases (23 active), and Sikkim three cases (all active).

In another tweet, the Minister said that eight patients admitted at COVID-19 hospital in Dimapur had tested negative twice. They have been shifted to COVID-19 care centre and would be discharged for home quarantine under active surveillance.

With the return of around four lakh natives from south and north India, coronavirus cases in eight northeastern states have spiked, with their total now 3,449. Out of the total, 2,601 are active cases.

Four corona patients, including a 16-years-old girl, died in Assam and a veteran doctor succumbed to the disease in Meghalaya.

In Agartala, Tripura Law and Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath told the media that an FIR had been filed against a COVID-19 patient found missing from a quarantine centre in southern Tripura.

He said that four more coronavirus patients were picked up from their homes after they left quarantine centres in different parts of Tripura.