COVID-19: Assam governor calls for effective implementation of contact tracing

Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi has directed the health department to effectively implement 'contact tracing' to contain the spread of coronavirus in the state.

Following the detection of two more positive cases onTuesday, concerted efforts must be made to aggressively implement contact tracing to break the chain of transmission, the governor said while reviewing the mitigation measures adopted and led by the health and family welfare department in close association with other departments of the state.

"With the relaxation in lockdown restrictions, asymptomatic positive persons may spread the infection to several others before he or she can be detected as COVID positive", he said.

He pointed out that the situation in Assam during the next 14 days and beyond will be very crucial due to the eased restrictions.

"Surveillance by the government will be of paramount importance. Our response adopted during the lockdown period will have to be replicated and actively exercised during the present times also to track every potential infection and its likely outbreak," Mukhi said. He also said that taking into consideration the COVID-19 situation across the country where the spike of the virus has been quite steep in the last couple of days, Assam has to remain pretty alert to reverse the spurt of positive cases in the state.

He also directed officers to sustain their good work in the next few months to keep the virus at bay.  Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna gave a detailed report to the governor about the COVID-19 situation in the state and activities of different departments to mitigate the hardships being faced by the people.