Man with cases pending against him returns from Rajasthan, test Covid-19 positive

Guwahati, May 7 () After 42 people returned toAssam from Rajasthan by bus, one of them tested positive forCovid-19 and it was also found out that cases are pendingagainst him in his home state, Health Minister Himanta BiswaSarma said here on Thursday.

The total number of positive cases now has gone up to45 in the state and 10 of them are active.

After obtaining permission from the Ajmer deputycommissioner, 42 people came from there in a bus to Silchar onWednesday and one of them tested positive for novelcoronavirus infection, Sarma said at a press conference here.

"It has come to our notice that this person has casespending against him in Sonitpur district (of Assam). How hemanaged to reach Ajmer and return in a bus to Silchar is amatter of investigation which police is conducting," he said.

All the passengers were asked to proceed on homequarantine after screening, but later the sample of thisperson tested positive and consequently, certain areas wouldbe declared as containment zones, the minister said.

Following this development, it has been decided thatall people coming from Red Zone states to Assam will be sentfor mandatory institutional quarantine and they would be theretill the results of their first tests are received, Sarmasaid.

The state health and home department will coordinateto regulate the entry of people to the state and screening ofthe passengers will be increased, he said.

He appealed to the people to cooperate with thegovernment saying "Assam has entered a challenging phase andpilgrims, students and patients stranded outside during thelockdown will be given priority to return as per the UnionMinistry of Home Affairs guidelines".

The minister urged those who have permanent ortemporary jobs to stay back at their workplaces as economicactivities have resumed and the state government will continueto provide financial assistance of Rs 2,000 per month to morethan 3 lakh people till the situation becomes normal.

He said students from the state studying in South andWestern India will also be provided with a one-time payment ofRs 5,000 each.

The state government also has coordination with thearmy, BSF, CRPF and other para-military forces and they havebeen asked to ensure that any new entrant from outside thestate go through the mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

A new batch of 200 CRPF personnel have beenquarantined in their facility at Palashbari, he said.

The minister said the recovery rate in the state sofar is 75.56 per cent and the mortality rate is 2.2 per cent. DGNN NN