Covid-19: Assam identifies quarantine facilities to house 27,000 'asymptomatic but suspected' persons

Guwahati: Assam has made provisions of mass quarantine facilities for keeping 27,197 persons who are "asymptomatic but suspected", the Health and Family Welfare department said in a statement released on Thursday.

Amid a burgeoning number of Covid-19 cases, 595 Intensive Care Units (ICU) have been readied across the state for treating critical patients. At the same time, 398 ventilators have been prepared to treat patients. Assam, to effectively counter the virus outbreak, has decided to significantly ramp up testing facilities.

As on June 11, 38,472 samples were sent to the Virological laboratory at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), out of which 710 were found to be positive.

Similarly, 17,619 samples were tested at the RMRC in Lahowal, 20,495 at the JMCH in Jorhat, 18,999 samples were tested at the SMCH in Silchar, 31,735 samples were tested at the FAAMCH in Barpeta, 20,683 samples were tested at the TMCH in Sonitpur, 10,-66 samples were tested at the AMCH in Dibrugarh, and 23,037 samples were sent to outsources laboratories. Assam's testing capabilities have been further bolstered by the accreditation of the laboratory at the Diphu Medical College, which was inaugurated on Thursday.

The Government has informed that as on May 11, 71,980 persons have been screened at airports, while 60,619 passengers have been screened at land ports.

At the same time, 3,04,222 persons who have arrived from Covid-19 affected regions, have been enrolled for observation, out of which 1,41,212 persons have completed an observation period of 28 days, while 1,51,398 persons have completed observation period of 14 days.

The Health Ministry has said that 17,712 persons who came in contact with Covid-19 positive persons have been identified and tested for Covid-19, out of which 35 samples tested positive.

Meanwhile, the Government has said that 7,53,560 persons have been surveyed so far, and 57,436 gram Sabha meetings have been conducted in the bordering districts.

According to data, 215 countries across the world have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. In Assam, the number of cases has skyrocketed to 3,430, with 1989 cases active. Six patients -- 1 each from Hailadandi, Kamrup Metro, Tinsukia, Kamrup R, Karbi Anglong, and Sonitpur, have died from complications. 

Meanwhile, India has reported 2,97,535 coronavirus cases so far, data from the Union Health Ministry showed this morning. India now is ranked fourth in the world in terms of coronavirus cases, after the US, Brazil, and Russia. Yesterday, the country recorded over 10,000 new COVID-19 cases in a day for the first time, with 10,956 people testing positive for the deadly virus infection. The death count rose to 8,498 with a record single-day spike of 396 fatalities.

ALSO WATCH: NewsMakers: Dr. Mukul Sangma, Former CM, Meghalaya in an exclusive chat with Oineetom Ojah