Assam reports 55 COVID-19 deaths, 4,826 new cases

Guwahati: Assam on Wednesday reported 55 COVID-19 fatalities, the highest single-day deaths, pushing the coronavirus death toll to 1,485, the National Health Mission (NHM) bulletin said.
The state also registered 4,826 new COVID-19 cases, which took the tally to 2,72,751, the bulletin said.
Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the situation was “alarming and if this trend continues there may shortage of hospital beds”.
The minister while launching symbolically the vaccination for people in the age group of 18-44 year at the Gauhati Press Club said that certain areas in Guwahati, with high positive cases, have been declared as containment zones, the PTI reported.
“We have to be extremely cautious or the situation may turn like Delhi”, he added.
Guwahati, which falls under Kamrup (Metro), has reported the highest number of cases in the state with 12,846 cases in the last 10 days.
The vaccine drive for the 18-44 age group was symbolically launched for journalists and specially-abled persons on Wednesday but it will start full-swing from May seven.
Kamrup (Metro) reported the highest of 18 deaths, followed by six in Barpeta, three each in Goalpara, Sonitpur and Nagaon, two each in Bongaigaon, Cachar, Dhemaji, Kamrup (Rural), Kokrajhar and Sivasagar and one each in Charaideo, Darrang, Dibrugarh, Hojai, Jorhat, Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Nalbari and Tinsukia.
The death rate is currently 0.53 per cent and the number of COVID-19 positive patients dying due to other cases is 1,347.
The number of active COVID-19 cases in the state is currently 29,915.
The 4,826 new cases detected during the day include 1,383 from Kamrup Metro, 380 from Dibrugarh, 370 from Kamrup Rural and 209 from Barpeta.
The new cases were detected out of 52.074 tests conducted with the daily positivity rate at 9.27 per cent while the cumulative tests conducted in the state so far is 88,45,771.
A total of 2,916 patients recovered from the disease during the day, taking the total number of recoveries to 2,40,004. The recovery rate now is 87.99 per cent.
The cumulative total beneficiaries who have been vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine in the state till date is 27,84,428.
Meanwhile, advanced night curfew from 6 pm to 5 am came into force from Wednesday with total restrictions imposed on movement of persons at public places, except for persons engaged in essential and emergency services, to contain the surge of COVID-19 cases.