Shillong, Aug 31 (IANS): At least 61 pregnant women and 877 newborn children have died in Meghalaya in four months -- April-July -- due to lack of institutional support and lack of medical services following the Covid-19 pandemic, a top official said on Monday.

Meghalaya Director of Health Services, Aman Warr told IANS over phone, "The expecting mothers and babies died due to diseases other than the novel coronavirus." State Health officials said that the pregnant women and newborn kids died as all the state, district and local level hospitals are busy dealing with Covid-19 patients.

"The pregnant women and infants died because they were unable to be admitted to hospitals or health centres for institutional delivery. Newborn deaths were due to lack of medical attention, proper care, pneumonia, malnutrition, anaemia and birth asphyxia," a health official told IANS on the condition of anonymity.

The Health Department earlier in several directives had asked all the government and private hospitals and health centres not to refuse admission to patients including pregnant women even if they come from the notified Covid-19 containment zones.

With a population of three million, Meghalaya has 12 big hospitals including six privately run in the state capital Shillong, while there are government-run civil hospitals in each of the 11 district headquarters. The hill state also has 29 community health centres, 139 primary health centres and 401 sub-centres.

Meghalaya so far has reported 2,362 Covid-19 positive cases with 1,091 patients recovering from the deadly virus, while 10 people have died. Currently 1,261 people are being treated in various hospitals and Covid care centres.