Assam’s Covid positivity rate rises to 3%, active cases up

GUWAHATI: The Covid positivity rate in the state has gone up to 3% after daily tests were accelerated confirming 50 active cases for the first time in the last couple of months. The state had become totally free of positive cases in the first week of April this year.
Health department officials said the Wednesday night Covid report, showing 21 new cases, was a clear indication of a fresh spike. Even though the number of tests across the state on Wednesday was low at 726, the positivity rate was 2.89%, which was five times higher than the corresponding figure a week ago.
On Thursday, the state’s Covid situation was discussed by the principal secretary (health). The Assam National Health Mission director, MS Lakshmi Priya, said, “We are keeping a close watch on the Covid scenario and all preparations have been reviewed today. But the fact is that the daily case number is not constant. Today we have only four cases.”
As per the last district-wise update given by the health department on Wednesday night, the Kamrup (Metro) detected the highest 11 cases, followed by seven cases in Kamrup, two in Bongaigaon and one in Nagaon district. The number of total active cases was 54.
Health department officials said flouting of Covid protocols, especially in the worst affected capital Guwahati, has become the biggest concern amid the threat of another surge. In Assam, the highest 25 positive cases have been reported from Kamrup (Metro) district, which includes Guwahati, in the last 10 days, followed by 16 cases from adjacent Kamrup district.
“The trend is similar to the previous waves of Covid-19. The infection is probably being carried by rail and air passengers from states where maximum surge is being reported. They are testing positive on arrival in the city,” a health department official said.
Assam has tested 7,24,288 Covid cases since the outbreak of the pandemic, of which 7,16,246 have been discharged.