Corona takes first toll in State
Dispur extends helping hand to cancer, heart and kidney patients
Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: The Athgaon Kabarstan Masjid in Guwahati has been declared a containment zone and sealed for 14 days from Friday in the fight against COVID-19. Of late, it has come to light during investigation that around 100 people – including eight Nizamuddin returnees, three of whom have tested corona positive later – met in this masjid on March 12. The three Nizamuddin returnees who tested corona positive are Rahim Uddin, Jamal Uddin Haji and Md Jamal Uddin.
Making this revelation, State Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Had we come to know about the meeting in the Masjid earlier, we could’ve quarantined people in right time. However, nobody disclosed it. Our investigation has revealed it.”
The minister said that an FIR has been lodged against corona positive patient Jamal Uddin Haji. “He has got his health check-up by three doctors without disclosing the fact that he is a Nizamuddin returnee. Action against him will be initiated after his release from quarantine. All the three corona positive Nizamuddin returnees – Rahim Uddin, Jamal Uddin Haji and Md Jamal Uddin – were at Athgaon Kabarstan Masjid on the night of March 12,” Sarma said.
Sarma said that corona took its first toll in the State. “Faizul Haque Barbhuyan of Hailakandi died of the virus in the wee hours on Friday at the SMCH (Silchar Medical College & Hospital). He had been admitted to the hospital on April 7. The janaja of his mortal remains was performed only with four persons under the supervision of the district administration,” the Minister said.
Sarma said, “Among the remaining 28 corona positive patients, five have been showing corona negative. They’re almost cured. However, we can’t let them go now. The other corona patients are also stable.”
The Minister said that the department is going to conduct rapid corona tests, especially in the areas from where corona positive cases have been reported in the State. “Even as rapid tests are not 100 per cent accurate, they can give us some preliminary hints. The problem is with the availability of the kits. We’ve ordered one lakh rapid test kits. That’ll take around ten days to come. We’ve also requested the Centre to supply us around 5,000 such kits for rapid tests,” he said.
To help the cancer, heart and kidney patients who went outside the State for treatment, the Minister gave a contact number 0361-2558955 for financial help.
Reacting to comment made in the social media by MP Ripun Bora that Assam is facing dearth of PPE (personal protection equipment) kits, Sarma said, “This is not the right time to do politics. Such comments will only make our doctors and nurses shaky. Nobody should make comments without knowing the actual facts. At present we’ve 2,000 PPE kits with the GMCH and 1,000 each with the other medical colleges in the State. This apart, 50,000 more PPE kits are set to arrive in the State within three days. Where’s the problem of PPE kits?”
The minister said that around 75 crore has been donated to the Assam Arogya Nidhi.
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