Assam cops offer swab samples as part of Community Surveillance Programme

Guwahati: Amid a dramatic rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in Guwahati, Assam cops have now started giving swab samples for testing under the targeted surveillance program kickstarted by the health department.

Earlier today, Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) of Assam Police, G P Singh took to Twitter to share pictures of police personnel giving swab samples for Covid testing purposes. "Across the state, cops offering swab samples as part of Community Surveillance programme for Covid-19", he captioned the pictures.

The testing among cops has occurred at a time when many Assam police personnel have been infected in the line of duty. As many as 10 personnel from the Assam Police have tested positive for Covid-19 till June 22, said sources. While eight police personnel were under home and institutional quarantine, two were on-duty.

Talking to media persons yesterday, Assam DGP Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta said that 160 police personnel of different ranks have been quarantined owing to the outbreak, while also adding that 8 personnel have already tested positive for the dreaded virus. A guard of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dipak Kedia has also tested positive for the virus, reports said.

In order to strengthen the surveillance system enhancing and testing capacity to break the chain of transmission, the Assam Government has launched its flagship community surveillance program wherein over 50,000 tests are to be conducted to check for signs of a community spread. The program, which will be carried out all the 33 districts of the state, will aim to screen persons in certain categories who have been deemed as extra volatile and likely carriers of the respiratory illness.

In accordance with the initiative, all the officials including health care staff, police personnel, transport department officials, as well as administrative officials who have been associated with the activities relating to the screening, sample collection, surveillance, quarantine, as well as the officials at the offices of the Deputy Commissioners will be screened and tested for the contagion.

It needs mention here that Assam has so far reported 5,853 cases of the Covid-19, out of which 3,565 cases have been discharged. The state has so far reported 9 deaths due to complications from the respiratory disease.

ALSO WATCH: Ambubashi Mela Begins; Kamakhya Shut till June 30