Opposition Congress party in Assam on Wednesday demanded state Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to be placed in quarantine and his swab samples tested as the doctor who was present with the minister at a hospital during a routine visit was tested positive for COVID-19, sources said.
The swap sample of the doctor was collected on May 29 and the test result which came on Tuesday showed the doctor positive for coronavirus, the sources said.
Following the report, his home and his work areas were declared containment zones and contact tracing was done. All those who were in contact with the doctor have been placed in quarantine, the state health department said as reported in Hindustan Times.
On Monday, Sarma paid a routine visit to the COVID-19 facility at Singimari Model Hospital in Assam’s Kamrup district. During the visit, the doctor, who works with the patients in the hospital, was present with the minister. In view of it, the Congress has raised doubts about the health condition of the minister and demanded that he be tested.
However, the health minister, who has been visiting COVID-19 facilities across the state since the outbreak of the disease in the state, said there’s no need to worry as long as you follow safety measures.
“Daily, I visit hospitals, interact with doctors and Covid-19 positive patients. There’s no need to worry as long as you follow the safety measures, including wearing of masks” the minister told reporters on Tuesday during his visit to another hospital in Dhubri.
Assam now has 1,622 COVID-19 positive cases, the highest among the Northeast states. While two have died, 338 patients have recovered from the disease and three have migrated to other states.
