Covid situation in Assam 'a little alarming': Himanta

The Covid-19 situation in Assam is "a little alarming" with nearly 5,000 positive cases and the highest of 41 deaths reported on Tuesday, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The state has reported 4,475 new Covid-19 cases during the day taking the tally to 2,67,925 while the death toll has increased to 1,430 with 41 fatalities, including 15 from Kamrup Metro.

Sarma said that with about 5,000 Covid-19 cases reported every day the "situation in Assam is becoming a little alarming". However, "we are prepared and measures are on to scale up ICU and hospital beds".

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The minister said that the vaccination for people in the age group of 18-44 years will be "launched symbolically from Wednesday but it shall be in full swing from May seven".

"Our vaccination for 18-44 age category gets a booster shot as we have received a fresh batch of 1.5 lakh Covaxin doses from Bharat Biotech", he said.

Vaccines will be administered to 100 journalists Wednesday at the Gauhati Press Club as a part of the symbolic launch.

The daily deaths have also increased with 41 deaths during the day, the highest since the outbreak of the disease last year.

The death rate is currently 0.53 per cent and the number of Covid-19 positive patients dying due to other cases is 1,347.

Kamrup (Metro) reported the highest of 15 deaths on Tuesday, followed by Bongaigaon four, Jorhat and Udalguri three each, Darrang, Golaghat, Kamrup(Rural) and Tinsukia with two deaths and Baksa, Barpeta, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Nagaon, Nalbari and Soniptpur reported one death each, according to the bulletin of the National Health Mission, Assam.

The 4,475 new cases detected during the day include 1,417 from Kamrup Metro, 422 from Dibrugarh, 406 from Kamrup Rural and 222 from Nagaon.

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The new cases were detected out of 55,003 tests conducted Tuesday with the daily positivity rate at 8.14 per cent while the cumulative tests conducted in the state so far is 87,93,697.

The number of recovered patients discharged on Tuesday is 2,851 and the total recoveries so far is 2,37,088 with the recovery rate being 88.49 per cent.

The cumulative total beneficiaries who have been vaccinated with Covid-19 vaccines in the state till date is 27,45,383 of which 21,47,699 have received the first dose and 5,97,684 have received both the dose.

Meanwhile, the Assam government on Tuesday advanced the night curfew to 6 pm from the current 8 pm.

The order will come into effect from Wednesday and remain in force till further orders.

Night curfew was imposed on April 27 till May one and on April 30, it was further extended to May seven.