Assam: Covid spike feared after positivity rate touches 4.26%

GUWAHATI: Lack of tests has pushed the coronavirus infection positivity rate in the state close to 5%. The number of active cases shot up to 100 on Sunday for the first time after the third wave was controlled in February.
State's daily Covid positivity rate touched 4.26% on Monday.
The state health department is concerned about the positivity rate in the weeks to come as Covid protocols are not being followed in places like flood relief camps. Pilgrims have also started entering the state unregulated for the Ambubachi festival, which begins on Wednesday. A major spike in the cases cannot be ruled out under the circumstances, said sources in the health department.
The number of active cases in the state has gone up more than four times since June 13 when 23 cases were reported. Of the 105 cases detected in the last 10 days, 64% came from Kamrup (Metro) district, which includes Guwahati city. Sources said senior officials in the health department are still reluctant to make tests mandatory at key points.
“Few people are volunteering to get tested. In hospitals, a negligible number of patients are being tested and that, too, only when doctors suspect a possible infection,” a health department official said.
Phone calls from TOI to senior officials at the Assam National Health Mission went unanswered, even though the office has been responsible for carrying out adequate tests in the previous waves. The officials concerned have been repeatedly avoiding media queries even as airport and railways authorities are waiting for the health department to revamp the test facilities at some entry routes connecting vulnerable states.
“The need is to augment tests but they came down to 218 on Sunday when the positivity rate went up further to 4.13 from Saturday’s 4.09%,” officials added.
“About a week ago, 223 tests were conducted in Assam, but the positivity rate was 2.24%,” said another official.