As COVID19 positive cases continue to rise in Guwahati, lockdown is likely to be extended in the city for one more week, hinted Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday.
Despite lockdown being imposed in Guwahati, the number of COVID19 positive cases continues to mount in the city.
In average, 300 to 400 people have been infected by COVID19 per day in Guwahati.
Keeping in view of the situation, the state health department has informed the Assam chief secretary that the lockdown may be extended for one more week, health minister Sarma said in a press conference at Janata Bhawan on Saturday.
On Friday, representatives of a citizens’ committee in Guwahati had discussions with the state health department and the Kamrup Metro district administration and sought lockdown extension in Guwahati for two more weeks.
The state government imposed two-week lockdown in Guwahati on June 29 which is scheduled to end on July 12.
However, due to decline in the number of infected people from 30 per cent to 21 per cent in the first phase of lockdown, the health department has requested the state chief secretary to extend the lockdown for one more week.
Health minister Sarma claimed on July 9 & 10, the number of infected declined from 21 pc to 16 pc.
Sarma said, “Out of the 10 lakhs of people in Guwahati, 1 lakh swab samples have been collected,” adding, “That means, swabs have been collected from 10 pc of the people in Kamrup Metro district.”
The health minister informed that the city currently has a total of 2,156 active COVID19 cases.