DHUBRI, June 2 - State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reviewed the pandemic situation in Dhubri district on Tuesday and announced that the Health department along with the district administration are planning to set up a COVID-19 testing facility in Dhubri.
The Minister said, �We have discussed with the local administration and we are planning for a COVID-19 testing centre at Dhubri. If this happens, we will get test results of patients within 24 hours.� Till now samples for COVID-19 tests are being sent to Barpeta and Guwahatri, which takes two to five days for declaration of results. He also said that discussions are on to utilize the Kismath Hasdaha Model Hospital as a COVID-19 hospital. The construction of this hospital finished a few years back but has remained non-functional since then.
Sarma said that after May 5, when the inter-State transportation started, almost 23,000 persons from different parts of the country entered the State, out of which 16,123 persons have already returned to their homes. All of them have been quarantined for 7 to 10 days.
�In the district, 16,625 samples have been collected for COVID-19 test, and out of which 57 have tested positive and results for 3,713 samples are being awaited.� He added that teams have been created for sample collection from the quarantine centres with two days. The team comprises technicians from Guwahati and other areas of the State. �As the floods have already started, our aim is that after June 10, no one in the district has to stay in quarantine centres.�
He added that to achieve this, they have to clear all the backlogs and for that, the teams will collect results within two days.
The minister also announced that many COVID-19 positive patients are undergoing treatment at the Dhubri Civil Hospital. �If more patients test positive in the district, we have prepared Bilasipara Sub Divisional Hospital for COVID-19 treatment, in which patients could be admitted from tomorrow. But patients from vulnerable sections like pregnant women and senior citizens will be taken to Barpeta Medical College and Hospital.�
Regarding patients who test positive after their release from quarantine centres and reach home, the minister said, �After seven days of infection the patient is less infectious, so home quarantining is not harmful. All we need is to identify the seven days period of infection�.
Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary along with other senior medical officials also accompanied the Health minister.
