Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that that the hotel Vivanta Guwahati by Taj will be turned into a quarantine zone for the doctors and nurses who have been directly involved in the treatment of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) related patients.
Speaking to the media, Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the authorities of the hotel have stated that they will let the hotel to be turned as a quarantine zone so that the medical workers can relax during their quarantine period.
He added that the medical staff will get all sort of facility during their quarantine period. The doctors and nurses after being on duty for one week, they will have to be in quarantine for 14 days.
He added that the health department so far has traced 25 positive cases and have tested 1529 samples. Out of these, 1308 have turned out to be negative while 25 are confirmed positive and 196 results are still to arrive. Out of these 812 persons are directly linked with the Nizamuddin case.
Himanta Biswa Sarma further added that although it is clear that almost 24 persons have been confirmed to be infected from Nizamuddin but the last person, Manish Tibrewal did not get infected from Nizamuddin but in fact, it is yet to be known where and how he was infected.
The minister said that they doubt that Tibrewal who is businessman was infected somewhere in Assam itself but the investigation is still on. His travel history is being verified and all the persons he had met are being traced.
The minister further informed that the person originally belongs to Nagaon had also been to Nagaon in between the suspected time of him being infected. His contacts on Nagaon are also being traced and very soon they’ll be put into quarantine as well.
He claimed that the health department suspected him of being infected here because it took him more than 20 days to show signs of infection. Himanta Biswa Sarma added that the signs of the infection goes off after 28 days but his started showing up and this might mean that he was infected here in Assam.
He further appealed all the persons linked with Nizamuddin to come forward and cooperate with the government.
Apart from these, 21 persons from Assam who are stuck in various parts of the world have been given a financial aide of 1000 dollars each.
Sarma said that the government will be releasing a total of 2000 dollars for the stranded persons and the 1000 dollars each has been released as a first payment.
He further added, “While there was a discussion on possible deductions, we have decided to release the full salaries of Assam Government employees for March. However, my humble request that in view of the lockdown, each one of the employees takes care of at least five needy families.”
Photo: Time8
