Coronavirus patient discharged from Telahi Model Hospital at Lakhimpur

Places could not be termed as COVID-free until the vaccine is discovered, says Himanta Biswa Sarma

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: COVID-19 patient of Lakhimpur, Babu Ali was discharged from the hospital on Monday. The 18-year old youth was detected positive for fatal coronavirus on April 4 and then he was admitted in the Lakhimpur COVID-19 Hospital set up at Telahi Model Hospital. Since then he had been under treatment in the hospital and showed good sign of recovery from the infection as a result of which the District Health Department discharged him from the hospital.

In connection with the discharge of the patient and to take stock of the COVID-19 related scenario of Lakhimpur, State Health and Finance Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the district on Monday. During the time while the patient was discharged, Dr Sarma addressed the media persons of the headquarter at the COVID-19 hospital in the presence minister Pijush Hazarika, Lakhimpur MP Pradan Baruah, Lakhimpur MLA Utpal Dutta, Bihpuriya MLA Debananda Hazarika, Lakhimpur Deputy Commissioner Dr. Jeevan B, Joint Director-in-charge Dr. Gunin Kumar Gogoi and other high-level officers of the State and Lakhimpur District Health Department.

“In our State a total of 34 persons tested positive for coronavirus, out of which one breathed his last at Silchar Medical College and Hospital some days back. However, 33 persons have been under treatment in various hospitals of the State. Out of them, already a total of 18 coronavirus patients have been released. Today we released Babu Ali, increasing the number up to 19, based on the report of the radiological X-ray and the suggestions of medical practitioners. Moreover, two tests of his swab and blood samples were done on April 16 and April 17. The results of the two tests received from the Regional Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, ICMR, RMRC, Lahowal of Dibrugarh district, were negative for coronavirus. Now he is not a patient but a normal person,” said Sarma.

He further said that though Babu Ali was discharged on Monday, he would be under medical observation for a period of 14 more days. During this period he can go for morning walks and do other normal activities. He will be kept for the period in the hospital because of lack of facilities at his rented house at Ward No. 11 of North Lakhimpur town.

Interacting with the media persons, Dr Sarma expected that the remaining 14 COVID-19 patients of the State could be discharged by April 28. He said that the hospitals of the State would be open for normal services from April 24.

“A new chapter will begin in the combat against the coronavirus pandemic in the State from April 21. Rapid test facilities for coronavirus will be available in the main hospitals of the districts from that day. There will be 250 Rapid Test Kits in North Lakhimpur Civil Hospital. In the meantime, the Union Government has supplied us 10,000 Rapid Test Kits while our State Government has imported 50,000 kits from China,” said the minister.

He added that Assam and other places could not be termed as coronavirus-free region until and unless the vaccine was discovered. Yet, he expected that Assam would be declared as green zone very soon. For the progress of the State in the combat against coronavirus, he lauded the ASHA workers, MPWs, employees of the health department, media persons and the police department. While discharging Babu Ali, the minister presented him a bouquet of flowers, a packet of fruits and extended him his good wishes.

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