Assam dealing with 2 blows from Covid-19 and deluge

GUWAHATI: Assam is reeling under the double attack from Covid-19 and floods, which together have so far claimed seven lives—four to the virus and three to the deluge.
On the 59th day on Thursday since the first positive case was reported, the total count reached 856 while the population affected by flood that struck on May 22 neared three lakh in the day of which nearly 20,000 have taken shelter in relief camps.
According to Assam state Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) the two deaths have been reported in Lakhipur and Balijan areas of the worst-hit Goalpara district. The first death in this first wave of flood of the year was also reported from the same district on Wednesday.
The disaster management body stated that altogether 2,94,170 have been affected as flood waters continue to hit new districts. The number of people displaced to 91 relief camps in 15 affected districts has also increased to 19,577.
On the other hand in the Covid-19 arena, the day saw 73 new cases, which included a second flight passenger since Wednesday, who had travelled from Chennai on Sunday. A woman from Guwahati who had flown in from Ahmedabad tested positive on Wednesday.
Similarly due to the worsening flood situation the number of affected population has surged by 22,515 while the number of people displaced to relief camps has increased by 2857 in the last 24 hours.
Thirty-two flights have landed here since Monday by which 3,421 passengers have returned to the state from various locations while about 1200 others have flown out from the state.
Nearly 98% of the state’s Covid cases have been found in people who have returned from other states. Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said that the daily rise in the number of positive cases continue at least till June 10. Two lakh people had registered with the government for their homecoming and more than a lakh of them have already arrived. Sarma hoped that between June 10 and 15, the flow of people would start thinning out.
An analysis of the growing Covid-19 cases show that the climb is at an average of 35.66 persons every day in the last 24 days since the inter-state movement was allowed by centre from May 5. Prior to the opening of the inter-state borders only 42 cases were reported in 35 days since the first case on March 31, which averages to 1.2 persons per day.