Next two months critical for Assam: Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The next two months will be critical for Assam insofar as tackling community transmission of COVID-19 is concerned, said Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

As on Monday late night, the State's COVID tally was 7,794. While 5,333 have been decharged, 2447 are positive cases so far; the toll remained at 11.

Meanwhile, talking to the media after visiting a few COVID Care Centres in the city here, Minister Sarma added, "While India will be facing the critical COVID scenario of USA after two months. To tackle this emerging picture of the pandemic, we have already set up 31 COVID Care Centres — one in each ward — besides the 12 hospitals where the corona samples will be collected. We urge the people with symptoms to voluntarily give their swab samples in these facilities during this ongoing 14-day lockdown phase. We are endeavouring to deal with the disease as effectively as possible during these 14 days."

He elaborated, "On Sunday itself, 157 positive COVID-19 cases were detected in the city. While 130 cases are of the general public, 27 are of Army personnel. A person even succumbed to the infection on Saturday. Judged by these instances, it appears that the coronavirus curve in the city is taking a rather critical turn. Hence, the government and the public will have to strictly follow the lockdown protocols to check the community transmission of the pandemic."

He, however, hinted that "depending on the situation emerging after the first seven days of the lockdown, there may be some relaxations with respect to grocery and vegetable outlets."

Reacting to a question as to whether lockdowns would be imposed in the other distrcits as well, Sarma said, "The decisions will be taken as per the recommendations of the respective district administrations."

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