Assam s COVID death toll breaches 100-mark; tally mounts to 41,726

Three more COVID-19 patients died in Assam on Saturday, taking the toll to 101, while 1,457 new positive cases pushed the states coronavirus count to 41,726, Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Two persons from Cachar and one from Golaghat succumbed to the infection during the day.

"Very sad to share the demise of three more #COVID19 patients today. My deepest condolences to their bereaved families. Prayers", the minister tweeted.

The state reported its first COVID on April 10 and crossed the 100-mark in 112 days.

"1457 new #COVID19 cases detected out of 27161 tests conducted in last 24 hrs. Our positivity rate continues to be low at 5.36 per cent", he said in another tweet.

Of the 1,457 new positive cases, Kamrup Metropolitan district reported the highest 275 cases followed by Dibrugarh (136) and Sonitpur (116).

Assam now has 11,265 active cases. A total of 35,307 patients have recovered and three persons migrated out of the state.

In Guwahati city, where the total positive cases have reached 15,249 on Saturday, the present restrictions on the movement of people will continue, though the situation has improved considerably, the minister said.

He said that weekend curfew will continue.

The policy of opening of shops on one side of the road will continue. Gyms and shopping malls will be opened following this method from August 5, Sarma said.

"We will now follow the policy of testing, tracking, treatment and isolation to fight the pandemic", he said.

In Guwahati city, testing per day has increased to 6,240 while the positivity rate has come down to 4.5 per cent from 33.5 per cent on July 4, Sarma said.

A total of 9,44 556 samples have been tested across the state.

Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) G P Singh said that 1,631 police personnel have tested positive for COVID-19 so far and four of them died.

He said that 67 personnel who recovered from the disease donated plasma on Saturday for treatment of others at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital and were felicitated at a function by the health minister.