Assam has 54 coronavirus cases with one death (Representational)
Assam has 'temporarily' shut down the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) - the biggest medical college of the northeast and the B Borooah Cancer Institute in Guwahati after four coronavirus cases were reported from their premises. Guwahati was a green zone before these cases were reported.
Students hostels, doctors and staff residential complex at the medical college and even the sweepers' colony of the cancer institute have been turned into containment zones today.
However, treatment of already admitted patients in both medical facilities would continue, along with emergency services, officials added.
The cases includes a junior doctor pursuing his post-graduation at the GMCH and was involved in COVID-19 patients screening. He is being treated at the isolation ward of the hospital.
The Medical Superintendant of GMCH and a few other doctors have been put under quarantine and samples of over 300 doctors, nurses, and paramedics who came in contact with the junior doctor have been collected for testing.
State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that closing down the hospital was a "temporary measure" to test doctors, health workers and non-COVID-19 patients admitted to the hospital. He also added the hospital will be sanitised properly.
"We cannot risk the incoming patients as well as the health workers. Apart from doctors, nurses, health workers we have to tests the non-COVID patients admitted and their attendants, this is more than 1,500 people. We will try to get the test done outside the state so that we get the result quickly," Mr Sarma said.
B Borooah Cancer Institute has also been shut down after a 16-year-old girl, the relative of a cleaner at the institute, died on Thursday inside the institute's residential complex with COVID-19 like symptoms. She later tested positive for coronavirus. 11 of her family members have been quarantined and their samples have been sent for testing. Staff members who came in contact with the cleaner will also be quarantined.
A woman from Guwahati and a man from Kamrup rural who had returned from West Bengal have also tested positive for the virus.
Since Guwahati was a green zone, most of the city had opened up since May 4. Assam has 54 coronavirus cases with one death.