Only 8% populace tested so far; Assam COVID cases 1,30,823; Active 29,203

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Assam has so far tested 25 lakh COVID-19 and detected 1.28 lakh infected persons. Going by the State's population figure of 3.19 crore the testing has covered only 8 per cent of the populace. The development has hinted the health disaster that lies ahead in case the people are not careful and conscious enough to adopt COVID-safety protocols in their daily lifestyle.

"If testing of only 8 per cent of the populace could detect 1.28 lakh COVID-positive patients, think of the figure of infection in case the entire or 50 to 60 percent populace are tested. The number of infected persons is going witness a sharp rise in the days to come," a doctor at Gauhati Medical College & Hospital said.

The Union Health Ministry has already Assam in the 7^th position in the list States having maximum number active COVID-positive cases. On September 1, Assam had 25,948 active positive cases, which increased to 31,048. Altogether 110 COVID patients died in the last 15 days taking the casualty figure to 370. The positivity rate in the one week was 7 per cent, a rise of 2 percent.

With the fast rise in the number of COVID-positive cases, resources crunch such as shortage of beds has hit the government and private hospitals. All the 24 ICU beds at Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) are fully occupied. Only six general beds at MMCH are vacant. ICU and general beds at leading private hospitals namely GNRC, Nemcare and Hayat are fully occupied. Hayat Hospital is planning to increase the number of beds.

Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has already said the number of COVID- positive patients developing health complications is increasing. He said that there is an urgent need to increase the number of ICU beds in the government hospitals to treat such patients.

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