Guwahati: Door to door swab collection underway amid COVID-19 community transmission scare

The Pandu port area of Guwahati is witnessing door to door swab collection as there has been rapid community transmission of Covid-19 in the city. The door to door swabs are being collected in Ward No 2 of the city. The health department had to carry out the drive as hundreds of positive cases were reported from the area. 

Community transmission of Covid-19 has taken a very bad shape in the city. With over 4000 cases being reported from the city, without any travel history, the health department is facing a major challenge. Efforts to bring the situation under control has been going on in full force. Across the city, facilities have been set up for Covid-19 tests, door to door swab collection was necessitated in Pandu locality as huge number of cases emerged from there. 

READ | Assam CM Asks Fisheries Dept To Create Job Opportunities For Returnees

Earlier on Sunday, Assam Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma appealed people of the city to come for Covid-19 screening as it will ensure safety of their own friends and relatives. "Everyone should voluntarily come to give their swab for testing as it will not put the lives of their near and dear ones in danger," he said. 

READ | Flood Waters Continue To Recede In Assam; One Dead

"Guwahati has joined the pandemic now, with community transmission taking place in the city, we have entered the pandemic officially. Earlier, it was Chennai, Kerala, Delhi, Maharashtra etc, from where positive cases came to the State, but now it is being locally transmitted in Guwahati," Dr Sarma said. Meanwhile, the health minister also visited Pandu area on Tuesday to monitor the door to door swab collection process. 

READ | Assam: Disciplinary Action Against 10 Police Officials For Partying During Lockdown And Curfew

It may be mentioned that strict lockdown continues in Guwahati from June 29. The lockdown will continue till July 12, but if sources are to be believed, the lockdown might get an extension by one week. However, with certain relaxations already in place, even if the lockdown is further extended in the city, more relaxations are likely to be witnessed. So far, except Guwahati no community transmission has been reported from anywhere in the State. As a precautionary measure, most of the districts have now restricted movement to and from Guwahati.

READ | Week-long 'total Lockdown' In Assam's Jorhat City From Thursday