Assam’s COVID-19 toll rises to 51 with 1 fresh death

Guwahati, July 18 dmanewsdesk:  One more person died of COVID-19 in Assam on Friday, taking the toll due to the disease to 51 in the state, Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The 75-year-old man died at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital here.

“It is extremely saddening to share that Shri Sunil Roy (75) from Kamrup Metro admitted at GMCH succumbed to COVID19 in the evening today. My condolences to his bereaved family & friends,” the minister tweeted.

With this, the toll due to the disease in the state has gone up to 51.

Five other COVID-19 patients have also died, but the government’s Death Audit Board has not included them in the list of fatalities caused by coronavirus, saying they had other ailments too.

Meanwhile, 551 patients, including an 80-year-old woman, recovered from the disease, Sarma said in another tweet.

A total of 14,105 people have been cured of COVID-19, while there are 6,487 active cases in the state.

Assam has recorded a total of 20,646 coronavirus cases, of which 9,418 have been reported from Guwahati city alone.

Sarma urged people who have recovered from the disease to come forward and donate their plasma to a newly set-up plasma bank in the state.

“We’ve seen a sudden spurt on #COVID19 cases and going through a difficult phase. Convalescent plasma is fast proving to be effective in treating COVID patients and conditions of many have improved with its use. We’re one of the first states in country to set up AssamPlasmaBank,” he tweeted.

“Call upon recovered #COVID19 patients (symptomatic) to come forward and donate plasma to Assam #plasmabank… Those from outside to be State Guest & we’ll take care of everything,” Sarma added.

Source: PTI