More restrictions from Thursday as Assam sees new high of 6,258 cases

GUWAHATI: Assam will have more restrictions and strict containment measures from Thursday as Covid-19 cases in the state continue to surge ahead dangerously. However, a total lockdown is not on the cards for now.
On Tuesday, 6,258 new cases and 85 fatalities have been reported, both of which are biggest single-day spikes so far since the first wave of the pandemic struck last year. The test positivity percentage on Tuesday shot above 9%. On the other hand, 4,409 patients were discharged from hospitals on Tuesday. The total number of cases reported in the current month till Tuesday stood at 51,306 while 531 patients have lost their lives in these first 11 days of the month. Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in his tweet said, “To contain #Covid cases, more restrictions & containment measures would be put in place from May 13, 2021. Detailed SOP will be issued on Wednesday. In case restrictions have to continue for more than a fortnight, Govt will consider financial relief package for weaker sections.”
New health minister Keshab Mahanta said, “The cabinet today reviewed the Covid-19 situation thoroughly from all preceptive. New restrictions will be announced by chief secretary and DGP tomorrow but now we are not talking about total lockdown in the state.”
The cabinet also decided that every minister would be allotted two or more districts to assess the situation there and file a report to the chief minister and the health minister in three days.
Mahanta said, “The cabinet also decided that an economic package would be approved if restrictions are imposed for more than 15 days.”
The active cases in state on Tuesday rose to over 40,000 as the cumulative cases so far reached 3,04,229 while the cumulative number of patients discharged stood at 2,61,980.
According to NHM, Assam, in the last 10 days over 14,000 new cases have been reported in Kamrup metropolitan district, which is the highest among all districts. During these last 10 days the number of new cases has gone over 1000 in 15 districts.
Dibruagarh district is the second worst-hit district after Kamrup metropolitan followed Kamrup (rural), Nagaon, Nalbari, Barpeta, Cachar, Tinsukia, Sonitpur, Jorhat, Golaghat, Darrang, Marigaon, Goalpara and Bongaigaon.