Assam’s swab samples testing ratio for detection of COVID-19 is better than many states and samples from Meghalaya, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh are being tested in the state’s six ICMR-accredited labs, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday.
While addressing media in Guwahati, Sarma said that Assam so far tested 120 samples per 10 lakh population while states like Uttar Pradesh tested 106 samples per 10 lakh population followed by 96 in Jharkhand, 78 in Bihar, 76 in Mizoram and only 42 in West Bengal.
“In the first wave of COVID-19, Assam is in a comfortable position now, though, there are dangers looming large,” he said.
Sarma said that out of the 4400 samples collected so far, 4199 samples tested negative and results of 167 samples are awaited. The minister said that of the 34 COVID-19 infected people, one person with a travel history to Saudi Arabia and Delhi died in Hailakandi district in southern Assam on April 10 and 12 people so far discharged from the hospital.
“More people would be released from hospitals soon as 21 patients are being treated in different hospitals in Assam,” said Sarma.
“To increase the test ratio, the health department would soon launch rapid testing to identify the possible coronavirus suspects,” Sarma said.
According to him, so far 4.32 lakh residents of the state, stranded in different states of the country and they have contacted with the Assam government seeking various kinds of help, including financial assistance.
