Corona poses a ruthless threat prompting to adopt an aggressive treatment: Himanta Biswa Sarma

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Corona has posed a ruthless threat to Assam prompting the State government to adopt an aggressive treatment – applying all new medicines and treatment it has under its disposal, including plasma therapy. The corona tally in the State is set to cross the 20,000 mark; of this, 12,218 cases have been reported in 30 days i.e., from June 15 to July 15.

This is how State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has described the enormity of the pandemic threat in the State and the latter's all-out efforts to defeat the virus.

Talking to the media here on Thursday, the Minister said, "We're taking recourse to everything at our disposal, including the plasma therapy. These all-out efforts are to ensure that no COVID-19 patient lapses into a critical stage. Once a patient lapses into that critical stage, his or her chances of recovery are remote."

Sarma further said, "Now on, we are going to start a random rapid antigen test all over the State. Everything related to COVID-19, from screening to treatment, is free only in Assam with technical support from the Centre. However, the funds we're spending on each patient will have to be borne by the State government. It has dealt a body blow to the State's economy. We spend Rs 40,000-50,000 against each critical corona patient.

"The Plasma therapy has no negative effect. Three corona patients are being treated with plasma therapy at the GMCH (Gauhati Medical College & Hospital). Already six corona-recovered persons have donated plasma. We appeal to all persons cured of corona to donate their plasma. Such people will get priority in government schemes and other facilities. We also appeal to corona recovered persons of other States to donate plasma. We'll bear their transportation cost, food and lodging. We're going to set up plasma centres in three other medical colleges across the State soon.

"We'll have three more corona laboratories this week. By the end of this month, we'll have 19 such laboratories. So far we've conducted six lakh swab sample tests for corona in the State."

The Minister said that the recovery rate in the State is 65.2 per cent and the death rate is 0.24 per cent.

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