Guwahati: Assam recorded its biggest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases with 1,218 new patients on Friday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 21,864, while one more person died due to the disease, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The total number of cases includes 570 patients from Guwahati city alone, Sarma tweeted. The Joint Director of Health in Tinsukia Civil Hospital Altaf Ahmed tested positive, while samples of 22 police personnel from Makum police station were also found to be positive.
“Alert ~ 1218 new #COVID19 ve+ patients in Assam today, with 570 reported from Guwahati City alone. Please follow strict containment measures to stay safe!” he said on Twitter. With the latest numbers, Assam reported a total of 21,864 cases of COVID-19, of which 9,988 have been reported from the state capital alone.
Sarma also said a 75-year-old person died at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital here on Friday evening. “It is extremely saddening to share that Shri Sunil Roy (75) from Kamrup Metro admitted at GMCH succumbed to #COVID19 in the evening today.
My condolences to his bereaved family & friends,” he added.
With this, the total number of persons who lost their lives due to COVID-19 in the state has gone up to 51. However, five more COVID-19 patients have died, but the government”s Death Audit Board has not included them in the tally of deaths caused by the COVID-19 virus. They had other ailments. Meanwhile, 551 patients, including an 80-year-old woman, recovered and were released from different hospitals and Covid Care Centres across the state, the Minister informed the public in a separate tweet. “80 yr old Covid19 fighter Anima Boro discharged from GMCH after testing negative. She was critically ill during hospitalization. Inspiring moment for all of us when she went out smiling from GMCH,” he added.
With these, 14,105 people have recovered and were discharged, while 7,705 active COVID-19 patients are being treated at present.
The Health and Family Welfare Department in its media bulletin said the doubling rate of the cases decreased to 12.1 days with 20,646 cases on July 16 from 15 days with 9,799 cases as on July 3. The state has so far tested a total of 6,14,743 samples for COVID-19 across 14 government-run laboratories and a few outsourced centres, it added. “@assampolice 788 personnel have tested positive till date out of whom 377 have recovered. We’ve unfortunately lost one colleague till date. 818 Cops are under quarantine while 27 have rejoined duty,” Assam Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) G P Singh tweeted. Meanwhile, Sarma invited COVID-19 recovered people from the state and outside to come forward and donate their plasma to the newly set up plasma bank in Assam. “We”ve seen a sudden spurt on #COVID19 cases and going through a difficult phase.
Convalescent plasma is fast proving to be effective in treating COVID patients and conditions of many have improved with its use. We”re one of the first states in country to set up #AssamPlasmaBank. “Call upon recovered #COVID19 patients (symptomatic) to come forward and donate plasma to Assam #plasmabank… Those from outside to be State Guest & we”ll take care of everything,” he said in a series of tweets. PTI
