Five lakh COVID-19 vaccines arrive in Assam taking the total stock to 7.67 lakh

* Health department to inoculate one lakh daily from today

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: A total of five lakh fresh doses of vaccines against COVID-19 reached the State on Tuesday taking the total stock to 7.67 lakh. Among the fresh vaccine doses, 4 lakh are Covishield while one lakh are Covaxin vaccines.

Now, the Health Department has also set the target of vaccinating one lakh people daily from Wednesday. Till Monday (April 26), a total of 20.98 lakh people were inoculated.

On the other hand, sources in the Health department said that the alarming rise of COVID-19 curve will continue till the mid of May this year.

In the last seven days, the daily average of infected persons was 2,121. The State recorded daily average of 12 deaths during the same time.

"The infection has now spread to villages and remote areas. Earlier in April, the virus was confined to urban areas, towns and Guwahati city. Many youths, returning to their villages from outside Assam, have been found to be the prime cause of such spread," added the source.

Citing a few instances as to the manner in which the virus is spreading in the remote areas, the sources said that 43 people who had attended a marriage ceremony in a village under Darrang district have tested COVID-19 positive. Nearly 26 other people have tested positive after they participated at a Bihu function in Majuli. Besides, 27 villagers were also infected in Raha under Nagaon district recently.

In the meantime, Dispur is exploring new venues to create additional bed facilities. A building of Royal Global University in the city will be used to create 1000 beds, added sources.

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