Coronavirus: COVID-19 case doubling rate in Assam is 23 days
Guwahati:
Assam’s Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said today that the state is ready to implement the center’s Standard Operating Procedure or SOP for the celebration of NEET and JEE. However, he warned that the coronavirus crisis remains a major threat and there are concerns that even in Assam, which has one of the lowest COVID-19 death rates in the country, deaths could rise.
Over the past 15 days, Assam has seen a slight increase in the positivity rate, and the number of patients on life support is also increasing, Sarma said.
“The center has issued an SOP, so we will try to implement it in the letter and in the spirit so that there is no discomfort for the students. The positivity rate has increased, but it is largely in six districts. I hope the exams will pass without problems, “Sarma told NDTV on Saturday.
More than 30,000 candidates for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and the National Entrance and Eligibility Exam (NEET) are from Assam; they will carry out the exams in some 48 centers. Many say they are concerned about moving to crowded test centers and have asked the government to defer tests so they do not become carriers of the coronavirus.
While Sarma assured the students that they shouldn’t worry, he also raised some concerns about the coronavirus situation in the state.
“So far, Assam has performed well compared to the national matrix, but over the past 15 days the positivity rate has increased slightly. This is an area of concern. COVID-19 is no longer benign, but people are still getting oxygen. We are receiving more and more serious patients and if we continue to receive serious patients, the mortality rate will increase, “said Sarma.
Assam has reported a positivity rate of 6.38 percent, which is slightly lower than the national average of around 8 percent. However, it also has one of the highest recovery rates in the country (80.26%) and the lowest mortality rates (0.28%). The corresponding national averages are 76% and 1.8%, respectively.
The doubling rate in Assam, the hardest hit state in the northeast, is 23 days and the state is testing at a rate of 62,000 per million so far.
Sarma said the state will likely need more oxygen equipment soon. “In Assam, the installed oxygen production capacity is 37.8 tons per day, both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 consume 25 tons as of today. The requirement is increasing, so at some point we have to Rationing the supply of oxygen for industrial purposes or bringing it from other states, ”said the Minister of Health.
More than 500 COVID-19 patients across the state are receiving oxygen, Sarma said.
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