COVID-19 situation in Assam a bit critical but under control, says Himanta

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The COVID-19 situation in the State is a bit critical but under control. According to Health Minister Himata Biswa Sarma, lockdown or any other curtail doesn't warrant in the State now. The State has 4,440 ICU (Intensive Care Unit) beds, adequate vaccines and remdesivir, he said.

Talking to the media here on Saturday, Sarma said, "Most of the infected people are the ones who've come to the State from other States. COVID positive cases are detected only in places where there are railway stations, airports and commercial hubs like Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Jorhat etc. No positive cases have been detected among the local people in remote areas.

"I appeal to all not to mingle with even family members coming from other States till their RT-PCR tests are conducted. This virus is a UK variant. It's very light. It remains floated in the air for a long time. There's is no detection of the double mutant variant virus in Assam.

"The current wave of the virus isn't seen in 90 per cent of areas in the State. If the number of people coming from other States falls, the situation will ease.

"Other States have been facing the scarcity of oxygen. However, there's no oxygen scarcity in Assam. We installed 243-MT oxygen storage facilities in 2020. We've increased the storage capacity of the facilities to 288 MT.

"Oxygen requirement in the State is 40 MT per day. Thus we've adequate oxygen stock. In some hospitals in the State, we've installed units for the production of oxygen. We've eight such units that produce 6 MT of oxygen a day.

"Right now we've 12,861 doses of remdesivir injection and 10,000 doses are set to arrive in the State within a week. This injection will be given free of cost to the BPL (Below Poverty Line) patients in government hospitals. Only Rs 1,652 per dose will be charged from APL (Above Poverty Line) patients against the market price of Rs 4,000 per dose."

The Minister said that the State has 3,289 active patients in home isolation and 811 in hospitals. Of them, 592 patients are without oxygen support. Only 16 patients are in ICUs with ventilation, he said, and added: "We've asked the deputy commissioners to carry out vaccination drives for teachers and staff by making camps in schools and colleges. If firms and companies with more than 100 employees appeal to us for vaccination, we can go to their premises."

Also watch: Assam 18th Worst Hit by COVID-19: Union Health Ministry

Also Read: Assam COVID-19 Update: No Plans of Lockdown or Curfew in Assam: Himanta Biswa