With a junior doctor at Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) testing positive for COVID-19, authorities have shut down the hospital for new patients. The total number of coronavirus cases in Assam increased to 53 after eight persons tested positive, four each in Guwahati and Silchar .
Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that everyone who came in contact with the COVID-19 positive doctor will be screened and tested.
“For now, we have to shut the hospital for new patients for the next few days. However, special arrangements will be made for patients who are already admitted. We will also collect new swab samples,” Sarma said.
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The second year Post-graduate student was believed to be engaged in screening of patients in the hospital. He was staying at the hostel of the GMCH.
"Four persons in Guwahati test COVID19+. One of them had come from outside Assam, and is in home quarantine, while 3 are from Guwahati," Sarma said in a tweet.
"Four persons, who took the same bus from Rajasthan in which the Cachar district COVID19+ person travelled, have tested positive too," Sarma added.
The person who tested positive in Silchar on Wednesday night has cases pending against him in Sonitpur district. Police are investigating how he managed to reach Ajmer in Rajasthan and return to Silchar in a bus, Sarma said.
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A bus carrying 42 passengers had arrived in Silchar from Ajmer. Samples of one of the passengers tested positive for COVID-19, following which certain areas were declared as containment zones, he said.
Meanwhile, a girl who lived in the cleaners’ colony of B Barooah Cancer Institute died on Thursday. After her death, she also tested positive.
In Tripura, the number of positives cases went up to 88 after 24 BSG personnel tested positive on Thursday.
Tripura health officials added that the 86 cases also included two women and five children - all family members of BSF jawans - and a mess worker.
(With inputs from PTI)
