47 more test positive for COVID-19 in Assam; flight from Ukraine arrives with 67 people

Guwahati, Jun 4 () At least 47 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Assam on Thursday, a day after the state recorded its highest single-day spike of 269 coronavirus cases, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in the state currently stands at 1,877.

Among the fresh cases, 33 are from Hojai, six from Dhemaji, four from Bongaigaon, three from Barpeta and one from Baksa, the minister said.

As many as 76 people were released from various hospitals following their recovery, taking the total number of those discharged to 413.

Three international flights have landed at Lokopriyo Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport since May 29, an Airport Authority of India (AAI) spokesperson here said.

One of the flights, carrying 69 passengers from Kiev in Ukraine, arrived at 2.30 am on Thursday, while the other from Russia, with 37 people on board, landed well past midnight on June 3.

On May 29, a flight from Kuwait brought home 155 passengers.

Altogether 66 air passengers have tested positive for the disease, since flight operations resumed on May 25.

Meanwhile, 62 passengers, travelling in the Mumbai- Dibrugarh Shramik Special train, had on Wednesday tried to escape institutional quarantine by pulling the chain, just about 300 metres from the Hojai Railway station.

A Railway Protection Force (RPF) escort team nabbed 57 of them on the spot.

Five others were picked up from their homes.

The number of coronavirus cases in the state has recorded a steep increase since travel curbs were eased on May 4. Prior to that, it had only 42 cases.

Assam has so far examined 1,26,726 samples, with 1,17,650 reporting negative for the disease, according to the state Health and Family Welfare Department.

Of the 1,877 cases in the state, 1,457 are active patients, four have succumbed to the disease, and three have migrated, Sarma said.

The state had breached the 1600, 1700 and 1800 marks in a single day on Wednesday with the 269 positive cases.

Among the 47 new COVID-19 cases, 33 are from Hojai, six from Dhemaji, four from Bongaigaon, three from Barpeta and one from Baksa, the minister said.

Meanwhile, 76 patients were cured and released from various hospitals, taking the total discharged patients to 413.

Meanwhile, the third flight, under the Vande Bharat Mission, carrying 69 passengers, arrived from Kiev in Ukraine at 0230 am at the Lokopriyo Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, an Airport Authority of India (AAI) spokesman said. RMS 06041426 AAR AAR