The total number of coronavirus cases in Assam, as on June 12, stands at 3693. With hundreds of cases coming to light every day, the state government has hinted towards community spread of coronavirus but only in certain areas of Guwahati.
Officials of the health department expressed concerns regarding possibility of community transmission after 13 people in the city tested positive for coronavirus with no recent travel history.
“We are a bit worried about Guwahati. Till now, we have found nearly 13 Covid-19 cases in the community level,” state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday, June 10 after a fresh case without any history of travel or contacts with other infected people was detected at Hari Sabha in the Panbazar area of the city. So far, three cases have been detected in the same area, which is a hub of wholesale medicine dealers. Guwahati’s first Covid-19 case, detected in April, was a businessman with no travel history or contacts with infected people.
Sarma added that there is an urgent need to break the chain of virus by means of maintaining stricter containment protocols.
“We will have to collect more samples from areas where cases with no history have been detected. We have to enforce strict containment for around seven days in order to break the chain of transmission,” Sarma said.
On the contrary, Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said that 98% of the cases in Assam are imported and not home-grown.
The total number of active cases in Assam stands at 2,098. While 1,584 persons have been cured and discharged, 8 deaths have been recorded till date in the state. Further, 3 persons have migrated to other states.
The district administration of Kamrup (M) has declared a total of 67 areas as containment zones, out of which 44 are currently active. These include Pan Bazar, Housing Colony, Athgaon, Christian Basti, Rupnagar, Silpukhuri, Barsapara, Guwahati Central Jail and Pandu Railway New Colony to name a few.
As per the operational guidelines issued by the government, people residing in containment zones must confine themselves to their homes.
Movement of persons within the zone too is not allowed unless for emergencies. The perimeter of such zones is fenced with barricades and access to all roads is closed barring one common entry and exit point which is monitored by security personnel.
Assam cop tests positive for coronavirus
An Assam policeman deployed on duty in Guwahati was among those who tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, June 11.
According to reports, the cop belonged to the 8th APBn of Assam Police and was deployed on duty at quarantine centres in Sarusajai stadium and Paltan Bazar in the city.
He was transferred from Bongaigaon a month ago and was put up at a temporary camp at Netaji Vidyapeeth in Maligaon along with around 70 other police personnel.
He developed fever and cough in the past few days and went to Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) to get himself checked on Tuesday, June 9. His swab samples were collected and sent for testing. On Thursday, the results came out positive.
The cop is currently undergoing treatment at MMCH and all others who came in contact with him have been put under quarantine at Netaji Vidyapeeth.
Coronavirus claims 4 more lives, state death toll at 8
Assam has reported three deaths owing to Covid-19 in the last one week, taking the state death toll from 4 to 8.
The 5th death due to the dreaded coronavirus was recorded on June 9. The dead person has been identified as Arun Katoki of Karbi Anglong district.
As intimated by Dr Lakshmanan S, Mission Director of NHM, the person started his journey from Chennai by train on 23rd May and arrived in Assam on 26th May.
After undergoing institutional quarantine, Katoki was released on 3rd June. His first sample test result was found to be negative. A second sample was collected before his release from facility quarantine and he was asked to undergo home quarantine.
On 7th June he complained of breathing difficulties and was taken to DMCH, Diphu. He died the very same day. His second sample test was declared positive of COVID-19 on 8th June, posthumously.
The 6th Covid-19 death was reported on June 10 when a 67-year-old cancer patient, who returned from Mumbai, passed away at Tezpur Medical College and Hospital (TMCH).
According to reports, Tezpur residents Kamal Krishna Pal and his wife had returned to the state on May 29 via flight. Pal was seeking treatment for cancer in Mumbai, when the nation-wide lockdown was announced and the duo got stuck in the city. Both Pal and his wife were under institutional quarantine.
Assam reported its seventh death due to COVID-19 pandemic on June 12.
The deceased has been identified as Mangali Rani Das who was admitted at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH).
Reportedly, Das who was a cancer patient tested positive for COVID-19 after she returned from Delhi.
Eighth COVID-19 death was recorded in Gauhati Medical College & Hospital on June 12.
The patient has been identified as Mantu Ramchiari (50) from Baksa who was admitted at GMCH after testing positive for COVID-19.
Moreover, as per media reports one more death has been supposedly recorded in Hojai. However, no official confirmation by the state government has come till the filing of this report.