Assam to test journalists for COVID-19
*Representative Image*

Assam ordered 1 lakh rapid testing kits, but yet not taken: Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Guwahati, April 22: With 53 journalists from Mumbai tested positive for COVID-19, the Assam government on Wednesday announced that, they will test journalists for the infection.

Assam Health Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said that, the state government will conduct COVID-19 tests on journalists and it will be free.

“The state of Assam, government will test journalists for COVID-19 on April 25 at Guwahati Medical College Hospital and those journalists want to test themselves they will be allowed for it,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

On the other hand, reacting to the controversy over the Chinese rapid testing kits, the Assam Health minister said that, the Assam government has suspended rapid antibody tests for two days because of the advisory issued of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

“We have ordered 1 lakh rapid testing kits and have not taken a position of it. The Union government has given 9600 rapid testing kits to Assam. We have not received any official communication, but based on media reports, we are keeping it on hold. We have asked our supplier not to supply it till things are cleared by ICMR. We are keeping hold everything, but 1 lakh testing kits are about to be delivered, but it is in supplier position, not our position,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

He also said that, the state has now 3338 isolation beds, 440 ICU facilities, 10,061 quarantine facility, about 2 lakh PPE kits, 86,000 N95 masks, and 70 lakh triple layer masks.

“The state government has already provided three triple layer masks each to the tea garden laborers,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.