Assam reports 5 more deaths, COVID-19 toll rises to 27

Guwahati: Five COVID-19 patients died in Assam on Thursday, bringing the death toll due to the disease to 27, while 568 fresh cases pushed the tally to 14,600 in the state, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Two patients, including a senior government official, succumbed to the disease in the morning, while three others, one of them a 38-year old woman, died later in the day.

The minister said 568 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in the state and 355 out of them are from Guwahati.

“568 new #COVID19 patients recorded in Assam today, with 355 patients from Guwahati City alone. I advise Guwahati people not to panic and take proper care”, Sarma tweeted.

A 72-year old male patient, suffering from lymphoma, died at Dibrugarh’s Assam Medical College Hospital while a 68-year old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a 38-year old diabetic woman died at the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) here, the minister said.

A 70-year old person from Guwahati and a 56-year senior government official from Karbi Anglong, both on invasive ventilation, died at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital’s ICU due to their critical infections in the morning, Sarma said.

The deceased government official was an Additional Director in the Agriculture department of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and was posted at Diphu. He was detected as COVID-19 positive last Saturday and was shifted to the GMCH the same night as his condition turned critical, an official said.

Thirteen of the total 27 deaths due to the disease in the state were reported in the last three days since Tuesday.

A total of 421 patients were discharged from hospitals on Thursday after recovering from the infection. The total number of recoveries is now 9,147, Sarma said.

“As the gap between total cases and discharged patients narrows, our team feels motivated”, the minister tweeted.

Assam has 5,423 active COVID-19 cases while three patients migrated out of the state.

The state government, meanwhile, gave minor relaxations by allowing opening of wholesale and retail outlets till Saturday which was earlier till Friday in Kamrup Metropolitan district, under which Guwahati city falls. The city has reported 5,257 positive cases since June 24.

Plasma Therapy began in the state on Thursday with the administering of first plasma at the GMCH ICU, Sarma said.

“Compliments to our doctors as we started #plasmatherapy today. I am glad I joined the doctors and nurses on the occasion of administering of first plasma at GMCH ICU. #Plasma therapy offers us good hope”, the minister tweeted.

He also urged all potential donors to come forward and donate their plasma.

The Plasma Bank in the GMCH became functional from June 3 with the first donor being a COVID-19 survivor doctor of the hospital.

Jailed Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi tested negative in COVID Antigen Test on Wednesday but as he was showing symptoms, a RT-PCR test has been conducted and the results are awaited, an official said.

Two other KMSS jailed activists Dharjya Konwar and Bittu Sonowal have tested positive and shifted to the MMCH.

Gogoi, along with the two activists, were jailed in connection with the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act in December last and were lodged in Guwahati Central Jail.

A total of 402 police personnel have so far tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Assam and 116 of them have recovered, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) G P Singh said.

In Dhubri district, 19 new COVID-19 cases were detected on Thursday. The cases include five CRPF personnel, two from the BSF and three from the State Fire and Emergency services.

The state crossed the 5 lakh-mark in conducting COVID-19 testings, reaching a total of 5,09,873 on Thursday, the minister said.

“As we continue our fight against the pandemic, there are some milestones that need to be celebrated. I am very proud of my team for having achieved the five lakh #COVID19 testing mark today. My compliments to the team of doctors, health department officials and support staff”, Sarma tweeted.