HBS alerts Assam's crucial fight ahead, expects '12 lakh migrants to come back'

As the number of confirmed COVID19 cases has gone up to 191, the state Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma (HBS) took stock of the situation. Assam has seen a recent spike in corona cases and the Health Minister indicated it to the interstate travel. "The spike has increased May 4 and the state is now in a critical phase", said Sarma.

Among the districts in Assam, Kamrup Metro has the highest cases with 37, followed by Hojai (22) and Kamrup R (16). 8 districts have remained corona free.

Assam has 191 cases, 136 are active cases while 48 have been cured or discharged and four have died of the infection. The entire Tablighi Jamat cases consist of 36 of them. 112 cases are sourced from outside states. The 'aloo godown' case has contributed to 32. However, 4 cases in Bongaigaon and Kamrup and 1 in Kamrup R have no established origin. Speaking about the matter, Sarma said, "we are majorly dealing with imported cases from South and West India". The Health Minister also warned about the rising cases in the coming days. "More cases will increase as people enter the state from outside. We have to implement strict quarantine otherwise community spread might happen". As such he has requested the people to come back home "steadily".

So far more than 25,000 people have come to the state by road. 11,724 have used the railways to come back with a total of 37000* by both roads and railways. "We expect more than 12 lakh to come back, this is just the tip of the iceberg", said HBS.

Assam's new containment policy

Assam govt has also come up with a new quarantine policy as districts will no longer be marked as green, orange or red zone uless there are 200 cases in a single district. The state will follow a containment and a buffer zone. There will be no movement inside the containment zone which is similar to red zone. The buffer zone will allow moderate gatherings similar to the orange zone.

Also read: Assam nears 200 corona cases with 2 more covid19 positive

New quarantined norms

The govt has also coined a term called "ruthless quarantine with a human heart". HBS said, "you have to be prepared for a ruthless quarantine if you enter the state. There will be no Facebook, no twitter for 14 days". The state will spend Rs 500 for people lodged in the institutional quarantine and will even pay for the hotel quarantine up to Rs 25000. The people who have been tested as negative will be allowed to leave after spending 7 nights in quarantine. They will have to observe home quarantine after which along with their entire family. "Rs 2000 will be provided by the state govt. Both institutional and home quarantined facilities will be provided by govt. The govt aims to Rs 13,000 overall to be spent on each person under quarantined", said HBS

Community Surveillance Program

The Assam govt conducted a community surveillance program of 21,000 villages. Among them, they found 20,000 with fever, which is a relatively less number as quoted by the Health Minister. "Mask usage and social distancing have helped to reduce the numbers. We have per village 1 fever episode on an average", HBS revealed. So far, 4000 sample test has been done through the program and there are no positives in these villages

Other annoucements

Under Assam Cares, people stranded outside to be paid Rs 2000 second installment. Total cost - Rs 70 cr
3rd installment to be paid next month
860 people outside assam under treatment and those who haven't returned will get Rs 25000 another installment
For people without acc no. - local mla/DC should prepare a list and fillup the form - govt will work accordingly
Day after tomorrow - kalapahar hospital would be converted into corona centre
Duty tweaked for doctors - 7 days duty, 7 day quarantined with test
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