GUWAHATI, Aug 12 - State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today said that the low positivity rate of COVID-19 cases, despite high percentage of tests done, in a way infers that the State will be able to weather the peak of the pandemic or has already put the worst phase behind.
The State�s COVID-19 positivity rate as on today is below 5 per cent. Sarma today said that a clear picture vis-�-vis the pandemic should emerge by August 15. Addressing media persons here today, the Health Minister said that the State has so far conducted over 14 lakh tests and that it should cross the 15 lakh mark by the end of Wednesday.
�We have set a target for conducting one lakh tests today itself, which in itself will be a record,� Sarma said.
He further stated that the State�s per million tests have risen to 41,000 and that the figure is expected to touch the 45,000 mark by the end of the day.
The Minister also rued the fact that some of the laboratories are conducting anti-body tests without making it clear to the patients that such tests do not detect COVID 19. �This is an unfair practice,� the Minister said.
Meanwhile, the number of confirmed COVID-19 patients in the State has been put at 64,406 of which 45,073 have so far recovered. The active case count in the State now stands at 19,175.
