Assam records biggest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases; tally rises to 259

Guwahati, May 22 () Assam witnessed the biggest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases with 49 people testing positive on Friday, taking the infection tally to 259, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Out of the fresh cases, at least 46 were reported from different quarantine centers and hospitals in Guwahati, Tezpur, Jorhat and Silchar, he said in a series of tweets.

"Alert, three more #COVID19 + cases detected, one each from Nagaon, Sivasagar and Tinsukia," he said.

"In the biggest one-time spike in cases, 26 cases are confirmed #COVID19 +. They are all from Sarusajai Quarantine Centre," the minister said in a tweet in the evening.

Earlier in the day, Sarma said 20 more people had tested positive.

Out of these, seven are from Cachar district, six from Sonitpur, two from Sivasagar, and one each from Hailakandi, Dhakuakhana and Udalguri, he said.

The remaining two patients had already been admitted to Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) in Guwahati and Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH), he said.

Assam now has 198 active cases, while 54 people have been discharged from hospitals after being cured. The state has recorded four fatalities due to the contagion.

During the day, Sarma inaugurated an intensive care unit (ICU) dedicated for COVID-19 patients at Nagaon Civil Hospital.

Talking to reporters, he said the state government will ensure strict implementation of the seven days each of home and institutional quarantine process.

"During home quarantine... nobody will be able to leave the premises during the period. We will give them Rs 2,000 worth of food items. We have formed a village-level committee to monitor this," the minister said.

Sarma said a non-bailable criminal case will be filed against people who refuse to follow the instructions.

To screen people arriving from other states, the Assam government has set up five zonal screening camps besides the ones existing at the district headquarter and local levels.