Coronavirus: Assam starts Targeted Surveillance Program to check community transmission

Guwahati, June 18: Given the surge in the number of COVID-19 positive cases as it continuing unabated in the state, the Assam government has started Assam Targeted Surveillance Program (ATSP) across the state by aiming to check community transmission by conducting 50,000 random tests for the deadly virus.

The programme is aiming to check community transmission of the novel Coronavirus and it will target the vulnerable areas of the state.

Under the programme, the state Health Department has collected samples of people working in the locations such as truck parking places, loading and unloading centres, godown areas, weighbridges, dhabas etc.

The state Health Department will also collect samples of the staff of hotels used as institutional quarantine and frontline workers including police personnel will be tested for the new virus.

The programme has started in Guwahati and other parts of the state from June 17 and it will be continued till June 30.

In Guwahati, the state Health Department has opened 12 sample collection centres.

According to the Assam government data, the state has so far reported 4694 positive cases for COVID-19.