Assam CM appeals to people not to panic over Covid

With Assam reporting 22 fresh Covid cases since Wednesday,Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday urged people not to panic and emphasised only staying united in the fight against the pandemic can bring victory. He appealed to people not to ostracise infected persons.

Assam has 86 COVID-19 positive cases with seven new COVID-19 cases, including patients and attendants who had come from Mumbai and quarantined here, reported on Thursday, besides 15 the previous day. "Ostracisation of coronavirus patients should never happen", he made a plea to the citizens.

Talking to reporters, the chief minister said people would need to carry on observing the COVID-19 protocols like wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing and frequent hand washing, etc. till there is no vaccine discovered for the deadly virus. Only strict observance of health department guidelines would ensure containment of the outbreak, he added.

Steps have been taken to bring back the states people stranded outside and the returnees must also adhere to COVID- 19 protocols, he added. Sonowal visited the mask making facilities of women SHGs under National Rural Livelihood Mission, Assam at Tatimara, Chandrapur area of the city and took stock of their activities while encouraging them to continue their economic endeavor.

He appreciated the members of women SHGs for setting a strong example of economic resilience in the times of the global pandemic. Altogether 10,659 women members of the SHGs have produced 51,23,194 face masks till now and out of these, 31,71,314 masks have been sold, officials informed.

With the brand name Asomi, 84 stalls have been opened to sell masks in 33 districts of the state earning Rs 7.15 crore through its sale by the women SHGs. Besides,over four lakh masks have been distributed free of cost, the officials said. Meanwhile, two persons of Assam have been rescued from near New Delhi railway station at the instance of Sonowal.

In view of the plight of the two youths from the state, Sonowal this morning directed the Principal Resident Commissioner, New Delhi to rescue the two who were stranded at a place near New Delhi railway station and provide them refuge in Assam Bhawan, officials said. One of rescued identified as Santosh Borah, 19, hailing from Lakhimpur districts Pahumara village was engaged in the agriculture sector in Amritsar before the coronavirus induced lockdown was imposed.

Since his economic activity got discontinued, Santosh had left for New Delhi on foot as he had no money. The other person is Raja Doley, 24 from Maderguri village of Lakhimpur district who was in Delhi as a wage earner, they added.

A team from Assam Bhawan reached out to the stranded persons and took them to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for health check up as well as to ascertain their COVID status. The Chief Minister also visited the quarantine centre set up at Sarusajai Sports Complex in the city during the day.

Accompanied by Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Sonowal inspected the facilities made available for screening, registration, testing and quarantine for all symptomatic patients of the state and passengers come from outside the state. Pursuant to the directive of the Centre, Assam government in its endeavour to combat the surge of coronavirus pandemic has set up Zonal Health Screening Centre and quarantine centres across the state.

The quarantine centre set up at the indoor stadium of Sarusajai Sports Complex with its two extensions has so far provided quarantine facilities to 2286 persons with 1109 of them already released to go to their homes. Considering the need for more quarantine facilities in view of huge number of passengers of the state coming from outside of Assam, Officials said 61 hotels have been earmarked for the people to choose them as quarantine centres.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)