BJP MLA Mihir Kanti Shome tests positive for coronavirus

Guwahati: BJP MLA Mihir Kanti Shome on Friday became the 8th legislator in Assam to be infected with the dreaded coronavirus disease.

Cachar District Health department official Suman Choudhury informed that Shome tested positive for the virus and has been admitted to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH).

Meanwhile, the family members of the MLA, who represents the Udharbond constituency, have also been tested and the contact tracing process has already been kickstarted.

Another prominent individual from Cachar, Niharendra Narayan Tagore, former Chairman of Silchar Municipal Board, has also tested positive via the rapid antigen testing method and has been shifted to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) for his treatment.

This development has been reported days after Congress MLA from Samaguri Rakibul Hussain became the seventh legislator in the state to test positive for the Wuhan-originating virus.

On July 28, Aminul Haque Laskar, the Assam Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker, had tested positive for the dreaded contagion.

Patharkandi's Krishnendu Paul was the first legislator from the state to be tested positive for the infectious virus.

Thereafter, Narayan Deka of Barkhetry constituency also tested positive for the coronavirus. Both have recovered and been discharged from the hospitals.

Later, Sadiya MLA Bolin Chetia too tested positive for the COVID-19 and was admitted to the Tinsukia Civil Hospital for his treatment.

BJP's Sonari MLA Nabanita Handique and Dispur MLA Atul Bora have also tested positive for the virus. Another prominent politician from the state, Congress party's Sushmita Dev, also tested positive for the virus. She has also recovered from the respiratory infection.

In Assam, where the number of novel coronavirus cases is definitely on the rise, nearly two dozen senior bureaucrats, as well as scores of frontline workers have also tested positive for the deadly pathogen.

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