GUWAHATI, Nov 8 - Though the COVID-19 positivity rate in Assam has come down drastically, the State government has decided not to lower its guard and tests will continue at the same rate, at least for some more time.
The State�s COVID-19 positivity rate, which was around 8-9 per cent during its peak in July, has come down drastically and it is around 1.12 per cent at present. For the last 20 days, the positivity rate remained below 2 per cent.
Official sources told The Assam Tribune that the strategy of �test and isolate� paid dividends in the State with more than 45 lakh tests conducted so far. As far as testing goes, Assam is among the top five states in the country. The same level of testing would continue at least till November-end and the future course of action will be decided depending on the situation.
Despite the positivity rate coming down, the State government has decided not to lower its guard as some states like Delhi and Kerala have paid the price for doing so, as those states have witnessed a spike in COVID-19 cases in recent times. �We have learnt a lesson from the mistakes of those states. The health department has instructed all concerned to maintain vigil on the situation,� sources said.
Sources said that just because of the test and isolation strategy, the positivity rate in the State has come down and the recovery rate, which was 96.30 per cent till Saturday night, is one of the best in the country, while the death rate, which is around 0.45 per cent, is also among the lowest in the country.
Sources said though a number of testing centres have been closed down, it would not affect the number of tests to be carried out in the days to come. At one point of time, when the disease was at its peak, Guwahati city had 112 testing centres and now it has around 50 centres only, sources added.
Giving reasons for closing down more than 50 per cent testing centres, sources said that a number of centres were located in schools, and with the decision to reopen the schools, such centres had to be closed down. Moreover, some centres reported only one or two tests a day and there was no need to keep such centres active because of the cost involved. �Around 50 centres is good enough for a city like Guwahati. People can also go to government hospitals for the test. The Gauhati Medical College and Hospital is also testing all patients coming for treatment,� sources added.
Sources said that some states have already stopped testing people arriving by air and train. But tests of such people will continue in Assam, at least till the end of this month, sources added.
Sources also asserted that there is no shortage of beds for treatment of COVID-19 patients. But at the same time, the government has appealed to the people to be alert and strictly follow the COVID-19 protocols.
