Assam coronavirus update: 16 more Covid deaths, 1,292 fresh cases reported

Assam reported 16 more COVID-19

fatalities on Sunday, taking the death total to 469, while the caseload climbed to 1,41,763 with 1,292 new infections, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Eight deaths were reported from Kamrup Metropolitan and Sivasagar, two each from Golaghat, Sonitpur and Tinsukia along and two from Nalbari and Dhubri districts, he said.

The death rate in the state has risen to 0.32 per cent from 0.30 per cent last week.

The fresh cases include 422 from Kamrup Metropolitan, 134 from Jorhat and 107 from Lakhimpur, Sarma said.

A total of 15,515 tests were conducted since Saturday, considerably lower than the average of 40,000 daily tests, officials said. Altogether, Assam has tested 27,17,795 samples so far.

The state now has 28,158 active cases, while 1,13,133 patients have recovered, including 2,251 in the last 24 hours.

"Only 20% of the total positive patients are active now. Rest, all have been discharged. Gratitude and best wishes to team doctors," Sarma said.

The health minister, however, said the situation is "grim" as many COVID-19 patients, who succumbed to the virus, got admitted to hospital only after their condition turned critical.

He urged people to strictly follow health protocols and visit the hospital as soon as their oxygen levels start falling.

Sarma said there could be a shortage of ICU beds, and the health department has already initiated steps to increase their number in different COVID hospitals of the state.