Assam BJP MLA Nabanita Handique's son tests COVID-19 positive

Guwahati: Karanjyoti Handique, the son of BJP MLA Nabanita Handique who represents Sonari in Assam, has tested positive for COVID-19, reports said. The MLA's driver and a close aide have also been infected with the contagious disease.

These new covid cases came to the light on Thursday when the Assam MLA's driver Kartik Bora and the close aide Jishnu Paul tested positive for the dreaded virus. However, reports have emerged which suggest that Handique has tested negative for the COVID-19 virus.

This development put the Assam BJP camp in a spot of bother as MP Tapan Gogoi and Minister Jogen Mohan came in contact with Handique on Thursday -- the same day people close to her tested positive for the virus.

Assam coronavirus update:

The number of COVID-19 cases in Assam has continued to rise at a brisk pace during what is being touted as a "third wave" of virus spread in the region. With the detection of 892 new covid cases in Assam on Thursday, the count breached the 20,000 mark. With 7,039 active cases, Assam leads the tally in the Northeast region by a significant margin.

Somewhat worryingly, 184 new covid cases, the Guwahati Central Jail in Assam has emerged as a COVID-19 hotspot where several key figures such as the NDFB leader Ranjan Daimary and peasant activists Akhil Gogoi, Dhaijya Konwar, and Bitu Sonowal have also tested positive. The jail premises has been declared as a Containment Zone for the second time since the pandemic landed on our shores.

Meanwhile, India has recorded more than 1 million Covid-19 cases and 25,000 deaths from the virus, crossing the twin milestones on Tuesday amid a massive surge in the pandemic in recent days. The country added more than 36,000 new cases and 684 deaths during the day.

Also Watch: Vegetable Prices Soar in Guwahati; Govt Failure?