COVID-19 cases in Assam rise to 2,681

Assam has reported 208 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of infections in the state to 2,681, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday. Thirty-nine of the fresh cases were reported from Hojai, 24 from Dhubri, 10 from Nagaon, seven from Golaghat, six from Majuli, five from Lakhimpur and one from Dhemaji among others, he said. He said an "inadvertent error" on June 6 had led to over reporting of 39 cases.

"So net total, after adjustments, today is 208," the Minister tweeted.

The number of cases in the state has nearly doubled in a week from 1,339 on May 31 to 2,681 on June 7. COVID-19 cases have been reported from all the districts, with Hojai, Dhubri, Kamrup (Metro) and Golaghat leading the tally. Altogether, 74 travellers have so far tested COVID-19 positive, including 30 air passengers from Kuwait, since flight operations resumed on May 25. Meanwhile, 48 more patients were discharged on Sunday after they tested negative for the disease twice, taking the number of those cured to 636. Of the total 2,681 COVID-19 cases, 2,038 are active, four patients have died and three others have migrated to other states, Sarma said.

The number of cases in the state has recorded a steep increase since inter-state movement began on May 4. Sample testing facilities in the state have been increased and the Assam government's aim now was to reduce institutional quarantine, increase home isolation and further ramp up testing, Sarma said. Assam has so far tested 1,53,326 samples for COVID-19, the Health and Family Welfare Department said in its daily bulletin.