Covid-19 curve now flattening in Assam: Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma

Nearly 5% dip in the rate of positivity in the past six weeks prompted the Assam health department to claim that the Covid-19 curve in the state has started flattening.

"In September, our rate of positivity was 8%. Now in the past few days, the average rate of positivity has come down to 3.5%. Yesterday, we conducted 1.07 lakh tests and only 1.4% were found positive. The day before yesterday, nearly 1,000 persons, who gathered at a function were tested and non was found positive. So if we can maintain the safety protocols during the Durga Puja festival later this month, we can claim that the curve is flattening," Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters here on Tuesday.

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The state's Covid-19 positive cases stood at 1,95,304 on Monday of which 28, 439 were active cases while the number of deaths stood at 826.

Sarma said doubling rate increased to 46 days which was 17 days in August. The recovery rate in the state also crossed 85%-mark.

Sarma said constant testing and isolation of the positive persons with strict protocols helped the department to keep a check on the number of cases. "On average we have been conducting at least 30,000 tests daily except on Sunday. We have already conducted 40 lakh tests, which is about 10% of the state's population while nearly 6 lakh people out of the 10 lakh population in Guwahati has already been tested," he said.

On the possibility of another wave of Covid-19 infection during the winter, Sarma said, "If we can maintain the vigil, safety measures and testing, I don't think we will face another wave of infection," he said.

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Sarma said the state government was expecting the coronavirus vaccine to reach between January to July next year.

Covid-19 test for priests must

The health department on Tuesday issued safety protocols to be followed during the Durga Puja celebrations slated later this month. This includes compulsory testing of swab sample of the priests and the puja committee volunteers a day before the puja and also after the immersion. Not more than 50 persons will be allowed to gather inside the pandal during the puja while puja committees have been asked to arrange separate entry and exit doors for devotees.