<p>Assam has started a drive to collect samples of all having fever and respiratory problems in 25,000 villages as part of its efforts to contain the community-level spread of coronavirus. </p>.<p>The state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said a team comprising a doctor, nurses, paramedics and laboratory technicians will visit every village in the next 25-days and collect samples for the test of all suffering from any influenza-like disease and respiratory problems.</p>.<p>"They will screen all such people at the community level--be it for Malaria, Japanese Encephalitis or any other respiratory problem. They will also collect swab samples of those showing preliminary symptoms of COVID-19. This will help us increase the number of tests and thereby check further spread of Coronavirus," Sarma said.</p>.<p>Assam reported 45 COVID-19 positive cases so far of which three were reported in the last two days. So far 34 such persons have been discharged after recovery and 11 are still in the hospital. One person succumbed to COVID-19. The state has tested 14,000 samples so far.</p>.<p>Sarma said the state government also decided to keep all those coming back from 'Red Zones' in rest of the country in institutional quarantine even if they are asymptomatic as one such person tested COVID-19 positive on Wednesday. The person had returned in a bus along with 44 others from Ajmer in Rajasthan, a COVID-19 'Red Zone.'</p>.<p><strong>Rs. 500 fine for not wearing mask</strong></p>.<p>Sarma said the state police would impose a fine of Rs. 500 from all found not wearing a mask or not properly using a mask in public places. "It is not necessary that you have to buy a mask. Even they can use the towel and cover their nose and mouth while moving out of their home. We will issue a notification for fines under the Epidemic Disease Act but people must understand and assist in our fight against Coronavirus," he said.</p>
<p>Assam has started a drive to collect samples of all having fever and respiratory problems in 25,000 villages as part of its efforts to contain the community-level spread of coronavirus. </p>.<p>The state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said a team comprising a doctor, nurses, paramedics and laboratory technicians will visit every village in the next 25-days and collect samples for the test of all suffering from any influenza-like disease and respiratory problems.</p>.<p>"They will screen all such people at the community level--be it for Malaria, Japanese Encephalitis or any other respiratory problem. They will also collect swab samples of those showing preliminary symptoms of COVID-19. This will help us increase the number of tests and thereby check further spread of Coronavirus," Sarma said.</p>.<p>Assam reported 45 COVID-19 positive cases so far of which three were reported in the last two days. So far 34 such persons have been discharged after recovery and 11 are still in the hospital. One person succumbed to COVID-19. The state has tested 14,000 samples so far.</p>.<p>Sarma said the state government also decided to keep all those coming back from 'Red Zones' in rest of the country in institutional quarantine even if they are asymptomatic as one such person tested COVID-19 positive on Wednesday. The person had returned in a bus along with 44 others from Ajmer in Rajasthan, a COVID-19 'Red Zone.'</p>.<p><strong>Rs. 500 fine for not wearing mask</strong></p>.<p>Sarma said the state police would impose a fine of Rs. 500 from all found not wearing a mask or not properly using a mask in public places. "It is not necessary that you have to buy a mask. Even they can use the towel and cover their nose and mouth while moving out of their home. We will issue a notification for fines under the Epidemic Disease Act but people must understand and assist in our fight against Coronavirus," he said.</p>
