GUWAHATI: Grappling to contain the spread of novel coronavirus in Guwahati, the State health department will carry out house-to-house tests, beginning from Ward No. 2 in the Pandu locality. “In a first of its kind initiative on mass testing in Assam, the Health Department will carry out house-to-house Covid tests in Ward No 2 (Pandu area) of Guwahati Municipality, beginning Tuesday (July 7),” Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a Tweet.
“We target to complete 3,000 tests in the ward in two days,” he added.
Officials said, if required, the house-to-house testing may be carried in other localities as well.
In view of the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Union Health Ministry had last month directed officials of 45 municipalities and municipal corporations across 38 districts in 10 states to focus on house-to-house surveys and prompt testing to contain the infection. Assam was not in the list then, as the city recorded the spike in cases later.
Meanwhile, twelve persons have so far tested positive at Raj Bhavan, including four CRPF men, the Governor’s doctor and his laundry man who was allegedly doing work till yesterday despite giving his samples for test on July 1.
Samples of over 250 Raj Bhavan staff and their families have been taken for tests after two of Governor’s security men had tested positive. “The first set of results has come and twelve are positive. Two more sets of results are yet to come,” officials said.
Dhirenpara Maternity and Child Welfare Hospital in the city was today declared a containment zone after detection of some COVID-19 patients there. Three floors of the SBI local head office were also sealed after several employees tested positive for the virus. Three floors of the SBI’s business office at the ABC point have been also sealed.
Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today visited the 450-bed COVID care centre being set up at Havells India factory compound at Changsari. “It shall be functional soon, and will add up to our infrastructure,” Sarma said.
Districts like Sonitpur and Nalbari have, meanwhile, imposed restrictions for travel to and fro Guwahati.
Of the total 735 new COVID-19 positive cases detected in the State yesterday, 552 were from Guwahati alone.
Assam Tribune: Source
