Private hospitals asked to treat COVID-19 positive patients; two more deaths

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Health department has instructed the city-based private hospitals to create special facilities and dedicated teams for management of COVID-19 positive patients.

The instruction has come following the highest-ever spike in the number of COVID positive cases in the city during the last 11 days. From June 21 to July 1, the city has recorded 1,923 positive cases. In other words, the city has recorded average of 174 positive cases per day in the last 11 days.

As per official records, the city recorded 73 COVID positive cases on June 21 followed by 160 on June 22, 53 on June 23, 63 on June 24, 150 on June 25, 203 on June 26, 96 on June 27, 195 on June 28, 175 on June 29, 380 on June 30 and 378 on July 1. Two corona positive patients — Prabhudayal Vidawatka (78) and Subhas Kalita (56) of the city — died on Thursday taking the total death toll due to the virus infection in the State to 14. However, the recovery rate in the State has touched 68 per cent and rising further.

Health & Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday held a meeting with the owners and representatives of the private hospitals. He sought cooperation of the private hospitals for effective management of COVID positive patients.

The State Health department is also converting the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre at Betkuchi and IIT Guwahati in North Guwahati into temporary COVID hospitals. Sarma said the State will start a new COVID testing technology from Friday to enable declaration of swan results within an hour.

On other hand, the State Government has asked Deputy Commissioners of Dibrugarh, Sonitpur, Tinsukia, Bongaigaon and Silchar to take a call on enforcement of lockdown in view of rising COVID positive cases in their respective districts.

Meanwhile, the public at Kampur in Nagaon district have themselves declared a 'Janata Curfew' after a youth who gave his swab for testing in Guwahati, was found roaming in Kampur. The public feared that it was dangerous for the youth to roam around freely without even waiting for the results of his swab test. "It the youth is tested positive, he will transmit the virus to hundreds of people. So, we have decided to impose a 'Janata Curfew' immediately so that less number of people are infected," a resident said.

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