Another doctor from Assam succumbed to COVID19 on Wednesday.

The second doctor from the state, who died of COVID19 infection, has been identified as Dr PK Sharma, a senior private medical practitioner from Tinsukia, sources said.

Dr Sharma, who was a COVID19 positive patient, died at the Assam Medical College Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh while undergoing treatment.

The first doctor from Assam, who died of COVID19 infection, was Dr Jahan Iqbal Ahmed, an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology department at Gauhati Medical College.

Dr Ahmed succumbed to the disease on Monday.

According to sources, Dr Sharma was one of the most popular medical practitioners of Tinsukia.

He was admitted to AMCH in a critical condition on Tuesday.

“He was a good medical practitioner in Tinsukia and was very popular among his patients. Till Monday, he offered service to his patients at his clinic in Tinsukia,” a resident of Tinsukia told Northeast Now over the telephone.

With the death of Dr Sharma, two patients have died of COVID19 infection at AMCH.

The first death was reported from AMCH on July 8 after Bhaben Gogoi (72), a resident of Kachupathar in Charaideo district, died at the hospital.

He succumbed to the disease after six hours of his admission to the medical college hospital.

On Wednesday, 66 COVID19 positive cases were detected in Dibrugarh.

So far, 479 COVID19 positive cases have been detected in Dibrugarh district.

On Tuesday, 13 COVID19 positive cases were detected through contact tracing from Dibrugarh mobile shop Mangalam.

In view of the increase in the number of COVID19 patients in Dibrugarh, the district administration is increasing the capacity of Covid Care Centres in the district.

The DHSK College Girls’ hostel was upgraded to a Covid Care Centre on Tuesday with a capacity of 72 beds.

According to a health official, only asymptomatic COVID19 patients will be kept in the Covid Care Centres.

Additional deputy commissioner Dipu Kumar Deka informed that another 70-bed Covid Care Centre at Lezai Model hospital will be started from Friday.

However, the Covid hospital at AMCH has a capacity of around 200 Covid19 patients. The capacity at the Jokai Covid hospital has been increased to 70.