Assam's Covid-19 death toll climbs to 548, tally soars to 1,55,453

Eight more Covid-19 patients succumbed to the virus in Assam on Saturday, pushing the death toll to 548, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The state's coronavirus tally soared to 1,55,453 with 2,595 new cases, he said.

The deaths were reported from Majuli, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Sivasagar, Kamrup Rural, Chirang and Goalpara districts, Sarma said.

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The fresh cases include 553 from Kamrup Metropolitan, 205 from Jorhat, 199 from Lakhimpur and 173 from Golaghat.

Assam has conducted 28,71,017 tests so far and 35,175 since Friday, he said.

The recovery rate is 80.90 per cent with 1,23,684 patients having been cured.

The state now has 31,218 active cases, while three have migrated out.

In Assam Police, 4,482 personnel have tested positive so far and 20 of them died due to the contagion, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) G P Singh said. The recovery rate is above 93 per cent and 3,468 personnel have rejoined duties, he said.

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Meanwhile, the minister, as part of a scheme, handed over air tickets to 70 children who will visit Bengaluru and Kolkata for cardiac surgery and bone marrow transplant.

The scheme could not be implemented earlier due to the prevailing pandemic but now "the health department has decided to make this small contribution as a part of the 'Seva Week' to celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 70th birthday," Sarma said. "All cost of surgeries and travel will be borne by the state health department," he added.