Assam to conduct 50,000 random tests for COVID-19 to check community transmission

Guwahati, June 16: Given surge the numbers of COVID-19 positive cases as it continues unabated in the state, the Assam government has decided to launch Assam Targeted Surveillance Program (ATSP) from June 17 by aiming to conduct 50,000 random tests for the deadly virus in a week.

The programme is aiming to check community transmission of the novel Coronavirus and it will target the vulnerable areas of the state including Guwahati.

Under the programme, the state Health Department will collect samples of people working in the locations such as truck parking places, loading and unloading centres, godown areas, weighbridges, dhabas etc.

The state Health Department will also collect samples of the staff of hotels used as institutional quarantine and frontline workers including police personnel will be tested for the new virus.

In Guwahati, the state Health Department has opened 12 sample collection centres at different locations.

Fears the outbreak rise among the people after at least 25 COVID-19 positive cases are detected alone in Guwahati recently which have no travel history.

Assam Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the present situation in Guwahati is not so good because of the COVID-19 cases.

“At least 25 COVID-19 positive cases have detected in Guwahati which has no travel history. We want to test at least 50,000 samples in next 15 days,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

According to the Assam government data, the state has so far reported 4309 positive cases for COVID-19 and out of these, 552 cases have been detected alone in Kamrup (Metro) district.

The Kamrup (Metro) district administration has so far declared 109 different locations in Guwahati city as containment zone and now there are 80 active containment zones in the city.

The Assam Health minister recently said in a press conference that, the government will have no other option to declare lockdown again in Guwahati if more positive cases will detect in the random tests.

35-year-old Payal Sen – a housewife in Guwahati said that, the government should declare lockdown again to control the worst situation.

“We should have to follow the social distancing norms and it is needed for our safety. I think the government should declare lockdown again for another one month,” Payal Sen said.

Now, it has become a big challenge for the Assam government that how the government will deal with it and control the situation.