GUWAHATI: Assam government has decided to regulate permission to people wishing to return from West Bengal after detection of at least two COVID-19 positive persons in the state with history of travel to the neighbouring state.
State Health Minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said, “We have advised the state police department not to issue permission to people wishing to return from West Bengal. Permission should only be given on extreme humanitarian grounds.”
One person from Kokrajhar with travel history to Coochbehar in West Bengal has tested positive in Assam, another one who had visited Medinapur in that state was later also found infected with the virus in Assam.
The state has already increased vigil along the West Bengal border to ensure no person can sneak in without screening by Health department.
Institutional quarantine for people returning from ‘red zones’ till the result of their COVID test is completed have also been made mandatory by Assam.
The Health Minister further reiterated his request to people living in other parts of the country not to return amidst the novel coronavirus situation, if not necessary, as they have the risk of brining the infection with them.”
