Assam Covid cases cross 200,000-mark; nearly 900 fatalities recorded

State health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted late on Saturday night that the total Covid-19 cases in Assam stood at 200,391.

Updated on: Oct 18, 2020, 10:02:21 IST

Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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The total number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positive cases in Assam crossed the 200,000-mark on Saturday, when 642 fresh cases were reported,

A security person sits wearing a mask outside a temple in Guwahati. (AP)

State health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted late on Saturday night that the total Covid-19 cases in Assam stood at 200,391.

At present, the state has 28,442 active cases.

The Covid-19-related death toll has risen to 865, including 12 new fatalities on Saturday, and a case fatality rate (proportion of deaths to cases) at 0.43%.

So far, 171,081 people have recovered from their viral infection, and the recovery rate is 85.37%.

The positivity rate has dropped in from around 8% in September to around 2% in the state.

The doubling rate of Covid-19 cases has also improved from 12 days in July to 51 days as of Saturday.

“At one point, we had around 36,000 active cases in the state. Now, the number of active Covid-19 cases has come down to around 28,000. The positivity rate has also dropped to around 2%,” Sarma told media persons on Saturday.

“I appeal to the people of Assam to maintain all Covid-19 protocols during the upcoming Durga Puja,” he added.

The first Covid-19 positive case was detected in Assam on March 31.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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