GUWAHATI, June 22 - With around 150 persons without travel history testing positive for COVID-19 in Guwahati, the State Health Department today said that the situation in the city was �alarming� and recommended the Kamrup Metro administration to enforce ward-wise lockdown.
The Health Department also anticipates a further spike in positive cases in Guwahati which will �deteriorate the situation even more� in the coming days and sought cooperation from all to prevent a Delhi, Chennai or Mumbai like situation.
Addressing a press conference here, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said particularly seven wards in the city � II, III, IV, V, X, XV and XVI � were a matter of concern for the government.
Sources in the government said that the district administration will impose lockdown from 6 pm tomorrow in these wards.
�The focus of the Health Department is in Guwahati now. Elsewhere in the State, the situation is not that serious. Apart from the policy of containment, the Health Department has recommended the Kamrup Metro administration to enforce ward-wise lockdown. The decision will be, however, taken by the district administration and it will be announced by the DC tomorrow,� Sarma said.
The ward-wise lockdown will initially be for seven days and if necessary extended to fourteen days.
Elaborating on the measures taken to �flatten the city�s COVID-19 graph�, Sarma said a screening centre will be functional from Wednesday in each ward.
�We have requisitioned 31 schools � one each in 31 wards. GMCH and MMCH will cater to two wards. Each of these schools will be converted into mini hospitals where a doctor, nurses and paramedical staff will be deployed,� he said.
The rapid-testing TruNet machines will also be installed in the schools to give the people instant test results.
Anticipating a spike in Guwahati, the State government will also convert the quarantine centres at Sarusajai, Khanapara etc into COVID care centres to treat asymptomatic patients.
Sarma said 150 cases without travel history in Guwahati was a �big thing� and he identified areas like Fancy Bazar, Maligaon, Pandu, Fatasil Ambari as �points of concern.�
The number of positive cases detected under Fatasil Ambari police station is 69, under Jalukbari PS 31, under Bharalumukh PS 51 and under Panbazar PS 25. Around 5,000 tests have been conducted so far in the 12 screening centres in the city, and 114 positive cases detected during the last two days.
