Assam to focus on two districts along West Bengal border to check COVID-19 spread

In wake of rising COVID-19 cases in West Bengal, Assam government will focus on conducting tests in two specific districts along neighbouring state, to identify coronavirus-affected persons.

Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday that government will give special emphasis on Dhubri and Kokrajhar districts along West Bengal border. steps taken to check spread of infection in se areas include random testing of 150 people in Dhubri along with special surveillance activities in two districts.

After a 62-year-old man tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, total number of cases in Dhubri district (western Assam) has risen to five, Sarma told media. Following guidelines of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), five swab samples would be taken at once through rapid testing in Dhubri.

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COVID-19 in Assam

Dhubri is one of five Coronavirus hotspot districts in Assam with clusters or orange zones. or four districts include Golaghat, Marigaon, Nalbari, and Goalpara. Himanta Sarma said that as per ICMR guidelines, health officials from Thursday have initiated rapid testing for COVID-19 in select places in Guwahati.

A total of 6,459 samples, including those from Meghalaya and Mizoram, have been tested at six laboratories in Assam. In addition, rapid antibody tests have also begun in three locations in sourn and rrn Tripura, where so far two persons have tested positive for virus.

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Assam Govt Offices Reopens

Assam government offices reopened on Tuesday with 33 percent employees on duty to operationalize government functioning amid continuation of coronavirus-triggered lockdown till May 3 next.

employees reported for duty adhering to lockdown protocols and social distancing rms. y were also seated at a distance of six-feet from each or, officials said. protocol of sanitization and maintenance of social distancing at offices as prescribed in National Directives for COVID-19 Manment of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) order dated April 15 was being followed scrupulously, y said.

In Guwahati, employees were transported to and from ir offices in buses provided by Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC). In or parts of state, employees came to ir work in ir own vehicles, employees claimed. Central government offices and PSUs were also functioning.

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