Former Assam CM Tarun Gogoi tests Covid-19 positive, admitted to GMCH

GUWAHATI: Former Assam CM Tarun Gogoi was admitted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) on Wednesday after he tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday. The 86-year-old three-time chief minister is asymptomatic, hospital authorities said.
Taking to Twitter in the morning to inform about his Covid-19 status, Gogoi said, “I have been tested COVID-19 positive yesterday. People who came in contact with me during the last few days should go for Covid test immediately.”
Gogoi’s one-time blue eyed boy in Congress and now his bitter political rival, state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, responded immediately and tweeted, “I wish speedy recovery to former Chief Minister Sri @tarun_gogoi as he has been found #COVID19 positive. We have kept a team of doctors ready for best possible medical care and assistance to our revered senior leader.”
GMCH superintendent Dr Abhijit Sharma said, “He (Gogoi) is doing fine and his health condition is absolutely stable. He is aged and we are keeping him under strict observation.”
The former CM is believed to have got himself infected in the last few days as he has been actively taking part in a series of party meetings with his party colleagues and with AIUDF members over finalizing the strategy of forming a grand alliance ahead of the coming assembly election.
Panel, including six specialist docs, to monitor Gogoi’s health
Gogoi’s former cabinet colleague and MLA from Golaghat Ajanta Neog, who was also present at a meeting with AIUDF which Gogoi had hosted at his official residence here last Saturday, had tested positive on Tuesday. She has also been admitted to GMCH.
An official aide of Gogoi said, “The ex-CM’s wife was also present but she has tested negative. Doctors initially advised him home isolation but later on, after considering his age, decided to shift him to hospital.”
Gogoi, who represents the Titabor assembly constituency in Jorhat district, is the 13th legislator of the state to have tested positive for Covid-19. Among the infected, seven are from BJP, three from Congress, two from AGP and one from AIUDF. BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa had also tested positive on Saturday and has been admitted to Jorhat Medical College and Hospital.
In the meanwhile, GMCH authorities have set up a panel of six specialist doctors of pulmonary medicine, endocrinology, cardiology, medicine, surgery and anesthesiology along with a post PG doctor and two resident doctors of medicine department for continuous monitoring of Gogoi’s health.