Guwahati: Assam on Wednesday reported six COVID-19 fatalities, its highest so far in a single day, raising the death toll to 22 while the virus count surpassed 14,000 with 696 new cases, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
The fatalities comprise a 19-year old girl who succumbed to the disease in Jorhat Medical College Hospital, four in Guwahati Medical College Hospital and one in Tezpur Medical College Hospital, the minister said.
The state’s COVID-19 tally reached 14,032 with fresh infections, out of which 423 are from Guwahati city alone.
People are expected to follow precautions strictly, the minister tweeted, sharing the number of fresh infections.
Among the fresh cases was All India Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev who tested positive for COVID-19 in Silchar on Wednesday and has been admitted to the Silchar Medical College Hospital, a Cachar district administration official said.
As many as 397 patients were discharged from different hospitals after recovering from the infection, taking the number of recoveries to 8,726, the minister said.
There are 5,281 active cases in Assam while three migrated out of the state.
A 19-year old girl, who was also suffering from severe anaemia and sepsis, was referred from Sivasagar to Jorhat Medical College Hospital where she died this evening, Sarma said.
“Sorry to inform that we lost a very young girl to #COVID19. She had severe anaemia and sepsis and was in the ICU of Jorhat Medical College after she was referred from Sivasagar. Doctors did their best but unfortunately we couldn’t save her. Heartfelt condolences”, the minister tweeted.
All four who died at GMCH’s COVID ICU are men, aged above 60, with the oldest being 75, and were on invasive ventilation, had severe pneumonia, urosepsis and septic shock, the minister said.
The four people “succumbed to their critical infections today early morning between 2 am to 5 am”, he said.
“My heartfelt condolences to families and relatives of four more victims of #COVID19. These are trying times, and we all must adhere to guidelines being repeatedly given – wearing mask, social distance and not going out unless very important”, the minister said in a tweet.
A 30-year old man from Majbat in Udalguri district was admitted on July 7 at TMCH, with features of “septicaemia in shock with history of herbal medication, became a victim of COVID-19”, he said.
A total of eight people have died during the last 24 hours with two persons, including a woman, succumbing to the infection on Tuesday.
The total number cases in Guwahati city has risen to 4,902 since June 24 and the Kamrup Metropolitan district, under which the city falls, is under a complete lockdown for 14 days since June 28.
Meanwhile, the former Congress MP Sushmita Dev tested COVID-19 positive today and has been admitted to the Silchar Medical College Hospital, according to an official of the district administration.
Dev, also the president of the All India Mahila Congress, was tested on Tuesday and remained in quarantine for a day while a list was being prepared for testing the swab samples of all who came in contact with her.
BJP MP from Silchar Rajdeep Roy, who was quarantined on Monday, has tested negative.
Cachar, under which Silchar falls, has so far reported 167 cases.
Dev is the second politician to test positive for COVID-19 after BJP Patharkandi MLA Krishendu Paul, who has since recovered and been discharged from hospital, in Barak Valley.