A Saturday of worry as Assam records a massive spike of 87 new COVID-19 cases in a day

May 23: As people stranded outside the state started to pour in, the number of coronavirus cases has been on the rise in Assam. It is quite obvious when people from the hotspots are travelling back to their home states, there will definitely be a spike in the number of positive cases. 23 May was indeed a day of worry for Assam as 87 new COVID-19 positive cases were recorded in the state within a span of 24 hours, the highest single day rise so far. Prior to this, on 22 May, 49 persons were infected in the state. The total number of COVID-19 positive cases in Assam stands at 346. However, the number of active cases are 282.

The total number of COVID-19 positive cases in the state was 259 on 22 May. But on 23 May, the numbers went on increasing almost the whole day. All eyes seemed to be on the twitter page of State Health Minister, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma. Here is the complete sequence of how the positive cases were reported on 23 May.

1. 23 May, 11.20 AM: 07 positive cases– 6 of them are from Hojai but are in Sarusajai quarantine centre. One is from Dhubri but in quarantine.
2. 23 May, 01:40 PM: 53 positive cases– 44 from Sarusajai Quarantine Centre, 7 from Dima Hasao district and 2 from Cachar.
3. 23 May, 05.10 PM: 10 positive cases– 4 from Morigaon, 2 from Nalbari, 1 each from Nagaon, Hojai, Golaghat & Jorhat.
4. 23 May, 10.55 PM: 17 positive cases– 04 from Chirang, 4 from Tinsukia, 1 from Goalpara; 8 test positive at SMCH – Cachar (3), Hailakandi (3) & Tripura (2).

With the addition of 87 new cases, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Assam went upto 346. Out of this, 57 persons were already discharged, 4 of them died, while 3 were migrated. That means, at present, there are 282 active cases in Assam. As the numbers are soaring up at an alarming rate, it’s essential for the people to stay at home as far as possible, follow social distancing and hygiene norms. Further, to stay safe, people must also follow government advisory of wearing face masks and washing hands frequently with soap.

The rapid rise in the cases led State Health Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma to make an appeal to those people of Assam who are atranded outside the state. He said, “Assam is no longer safe. Those who are planning to come to Assam seeking safety should abandon their plans. People must especially avoid returning in buses and trucks.” The minister further said that the Assam government is going to write to all such states and ask them not to allow transit of vehicles which are carrying people in violation of social distancing norms.