After completing 1 lakh tests Assam now sets target to conduct 2 lakh tests for COVID-19 by June 15

Guwahati, May 31: After completing 1 lakh samples test for COVID-19, Assam has now set a target to conduct 2 lakh tests by June 15.

Assam Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that Assam has crossed a milestone by conducting 1 lakh samples test for COVID-19.

“The state has tested 1,04,083 samples for COVID-19 as of May 31 and the state has convincingly bypassed Kerala. In March, the state had sent samples to NIV, Pune for testing, but within a month, the state has tested 1 lakh samples with its resources. During the time, 12,732 samples have been tested at Jorhat Medical College Hospital, 9111 at Silchar Medical College Hospital, 22,000 at Guwahati Medical College Hospital, 5100 at Assam Medical College Hospital, 12,450 at Tezpur Medical College Hospital, 22,000 at Barpeta Medical College Hospital and 12,905 samples have been tested at Regional Medical Research Centre, Lahore. Apart from it 4033 samples have been tested in outsources laboratories,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Addressing a press conference held in Guwahati, the Assam Health minister said that, now Assam has set a target to conduct 2 lakh tests for COVID-19 by June 15.

He also said that, Assam has now a capacity to test 10,000 samples for COVID-19 per day.

“2-3 more laboratories will be started within a week and we will able to conduct more tests,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Himanta further said that, the state has also a capacity to treat 4232 COVID-19 patients at a time.

“We have already started first COVID-19 hospital in the North-Eastern region. Now we will deal with the patients in three layers. Highly symptomatic patients will be treated in medical colleges, vulnerable patients will be treated at district hospitals and non-symptomatic patients will be treated at model hospitals. We have decided to activate 50 model hospitals in the state for specially COVID-19 treatment,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

He also said that the Assam government has decided to reduce institutional quarantine period from seven days to four days and increase home quarantine period to 10 days.

Assam has reported 1272 positive cases for COVID-19 so far and out of the 185 patients have been discharged from hospitals and the state has now 1080 active positive cases for the new virus.