The Assam government today decided to step up COVID-19 preparedness in districts bordering West Bengal. The move comes after the Trinamool Congress-ruled state admitted to have 57 coronavirus-related deaths.
The northeast state will start random testing in Dhubri district -- a COVID-19 red zone with five positive cases-- from Saturday onwards. The district shares its border with West Bengal.
"Random swab testing will be done in Dhubri," said Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The state government is also considering to escalate COVID-19 efforts in Kokrajhar, another Assam district bordering West Bengal. The district hasn't reported any coronavirus infections so far.
"Since the COVID situation in Bengal is not good, we will escalate the vigil in the districts sharing border with Bengal. First, we will do random tests in Dhubri. Depending on results, will take a call on similar tests in Kokrajhar, but our vigil has been stepped up" sarma added.
The West Bengal government, while revealing 57 COVID-19 patients had died, asserted that 39 of these deaths were due to comorbidities.
A central inter-ministerial team had asked for details from the death audit committee and raised questions over West Bengal's coronavirus figures.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
