Assam reports 28 fresh COVID-19 cases, tally stands at 185

Guwahati, May 20 () Assam reported 28 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases to 185, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Fifteen cases were reported tonight, all from quarantine centres, while 13 others were reported in the evening, he said.

"Fourteen new #COVID19 positive cases confirmed among those at Sarusajai Quarantine Centre. We need to be extra careful," the minister tweeted.

"One new case of #COVID19 positive confirmed from Karimganj. He has been in the Quarantine Centre," he said in another tweet.

Among the 13 new cases reported earlier, eight are from Hojai, two from Sonitpur and one each from Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup and Nagaon, he said. Out of the total 185 cases in the state, 130 are active cases.

Four persons died, three migrated and 48 have recovered and discharged from the hospital.

Seven patients, including the post-graduate student of Guwahati Medical College and Hospital, four from Silchar Medical College and Hospital and two from Jorhat Medical College and Hospital have been cured and discharged on Wedneday, Sarma said.

In view of the rapidly rising number of COVID-19 positive cases, the state government has decided to keep Sonapur Civil Hospital and Kalapahar Hospital as stand-by to accommodate more patients, he said.

The minister visited both the hospitals on Wednesday with officials and asked the administration to ramp up preparations.

Meanwhile, the police have apprehended three persons who had tested COVID-19 positive and escaped from Sarusajai quarantine centres on Tuesday.

Two of the patients were nabbed from Nalbari and another from Hojai with the minister warning that such acts shall attract punitive measures.

Assam reported the highest of 42 COVID-19 positive cases on a single day, including a two-month old baby, on Tuesday.

Sarma said that though there has been an increase in the number of positive cases in the state, there was no need to panic as most of them were from the quarantine centres where they were kept for tests after returning from outside the state.

During the last fortnight, Assam has received 74,118 people through all means of transportation, while 17,488 people have left Assam, ADGP (Law and Order) G P Singh said.

In Assam, 47,084 samples have been tested so far, out of these 185 were positive and 42,729 were found to be negative and the remaining results were awaited.