Assam puts decision of no Covid-19 tests at airports, railway stations on hold

The new order was issued to prevent the spread of the disease in view of 'gradual increase' in cases and detection of the new strain of the virus at some places across the country .

Published on: Feb 26, 2021, 23:26:49 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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The Assam government on Friday decided to keep its earlier decision of not conducting Covid-19 tests at airports, railways stations from March 1, in abeyance.

On Friday, 34 new cases were detected as positive in the state taking the total to 217,518 cases. One death was also recorded in Assam taking the death toll to 1092. (ANI PHOTO).

In a new order, the health and family welfare department said that Covid-19 screening and testing for all passengers at the airports and railway stations of the state will continue as before as per existing protocol.

The new order was issued to prevent the spread of the disease in view of 'gradual increase' in cases and detection of the new strain of the virus at some places across the country .

On February 10, state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had stated that in view of sharp decline in the number of cases in the state and start of vaccination drive there would be no mandatory Covid-19 tests at airports and railway stations in the state from March 1.

Recently, some educational institutions in the state had recorded positive cases among teachers and students. Though the numbers were not high, it had spread panic.

On Friday, 34 new cases were detected as positive in the state taking the total to 217,518 cases. One death was also recorded in Assam taking the death toll to 1092. At present, the state has 287 positive cases.

Till Friday, 1,95,807 people had been vaccinated with the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine while 27,743 had got their second doses.

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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