Silchar: Assam BJP MLA Mihir Kanti Shome tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, the eighth legislator to get infected by the novel coronavirus in the state. Cachar District Health department official Suman Choudhury said that Shome tested positive and has been admitted to Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH).
The Health officials have tested the family members of the Udharbond MLA and already started contact tracing of him, Choudhury added. He also said that former Chairman of Silchar Municipal Board Niharendra Narayan Tagore has tested positive in rapid antigen test and was admitted at SMCH. On August 2, former Assam Cabinet minister and Congress MLA from Samaguri Rakibul Hussain became the seventh legislator in the state to test positive for virus.
Earlier, on July 28, Assam Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar had tested positive and he was also treated with plasma therapy at SMCH. The first BJP MLA to be found infected was Patharkandi”s Krishnendu Paul, followed by Naryan Deka of Barkhetry constituency, both of whom have recovered and discharged from the hospitals.
Later, the saffron party”s Sadiya MLA Bolin Chetia too tested positive for novel coronavirus and was admitted to Tinsukia Civil Hospital. BJP”s Sonari MLA Nabanita Handique and Atul Bora of the same party among others have been detected as confirmed patients.
Prominent politician of the state to test positive was the All India Mahila Congress President and former Silchar Lok Sabha Member Sushmita Dev, who later tested negative and was released from SMCH. Apart from politicians, nearly two dozen senior bureaucrats in the state have also tested positive along with over 2,000 police personnel. PTI
