Assam launches massive COVID-19 testing drive; 1.2 lakh tests conducted on Monday

Guwahati: In a landmark achievement, Assam's health department was able to conduct 1.2 lakh COVID-19 tests on Monday (September 29). The rise in the number of tests is part of an ongoing drive to conduct more than 1 lakh tests in a single day. From September 28 to September 30, the government plans to conduct as many as 1 lakh tests each day to isolate the dreaded virus.

"I am in awe of my team for having relentlessly done an incredible job-be it of containment, communication or tracing & tracking. Today itself they carried out 1,20,228 tests. Next 2 days also, we'll conduct 1 lakh+ tests. Compliments to team (Sic)," Assam's health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote in a tweet expressing his satisfaction.

It needs mention here that the Central Government has prescribed the States and Union Territories to conduct as many COVID-19 tests as possible, as it is believed to be crucial to saving lives. As per reports, a higher proportion of the population is dying from the coronavirus disease in states and union territories that test poorly despite a widespread outbreak, and thus have a higher positivity rate.

This would mean that adequate testing, especially when the positivity rate in a region starts rising, forms a very crucial aspect of saving lives from the respiratory illness.

Although 3,644 positive cases were detected during Assam's massive testing drive on Monday, the positivity rate on the date was a mere 3.03%. This number is significantly lower than Assam's average, which has been hovering near the 5% mark.

Kamrup (Metro), the district with the highest number of cases, once again led the way with 563 more COVID-19 cases reported on the day. The metropolitan district was followed by Jorhat in Upper Assam, where 284 more people tested positive for the contagion.

Assam has so far reported 1,73,629 COVID-19 positive cases, with 667 of those having resulted in deaths. After the discharge of 1.39,977 patients and 3 migrations, 32,982 cases remain active.

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