GUWAHATI, July 7: Assam health minister Keshab Mahanta on Tuesday informed that the department would be reviewing as to why COVID-19 cases have remained high in certain districts of the state.
“We have sought a review as to what may be reasons for the high number of daily positive cases in some districts. But we have observed that while the cases have come down in the urban areas of these districts, the surge has been primarily noticed in the rural and tea garden areas,” Mahanta said.
The minister however said that one of the reasons could be COVID tests done at a mass scale in the rural areas of late.
“As it is, we have taken special steps to control the spread of the virus among people living in the tea garden areas. Separate COVID Care Centres (CCCs) have been opened in the tea garden areas while similar facilities have been set up at the panchayat level so that infected people do not remain at home,” he said.
The minister further said that the deputy commissioners have been entrusted with the responsibility of immediately declaring containment/micro containment zones in areas and regions that witness a surge in cases.
“Families living in these containment zones would be given ration/grocery and other essentials worth Rs 2000 immediately while the deputy commissioners must ensure that 100 percent testing and vaccination is carried out,” he said.
The health minister appealed to parents to take utmost care so that they do not carry and spread the virus among children and adolescents below 18 years of age who are yet to be brought under the ambit of vaccination.
“Over 36,000 children/youths below 18 years of age have been affected by the virus across both waves in the state so far and so it is important that parents and guardians ensure that they do not transmit the virus,” he said.