Besieged by the virus

 With 6282 confirmed COVID-19 cases as on June 24, Assam has surpassed the total COVID-19 cases over all other seven north eastern states by three times. The total COVID-19 cases of the other seven north eastern states stand at 2925 as on June 24. Guwahati city under Kamrup(Metro) having the highest with over 500 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Guwahati has around 129 containment zones under 11 wards out of the city’s 33 wards. This has fuelled strong apprehension that COVID-19 is now at Stage 3 or community transmission. The city is witnessing a growing number of COVID-19 positive cases with people whose travel history or source of infection is not known. As per reports there are probably more COVID-19 cases inside the business centre. Thirty seven persons who tested positive for COVID-19 had a direct or indirect connection with Fancy Bazar. These people had no travel history and tested COVID-19 positive after they visited Fancy Bazar for different purposes. Guwahati has at least six hotspots that are under total lockdown. Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier expressed fears that community transmission has already taken place in Guwahati but this was yet to be officially acknowledged. Sarma pointed to 144 people without travel and direct contact history who were tested positive in Guwahati since June 15. Of them, 114 people got themselves tested voluntarily. It is clear that even if it is left unsaid, the emerging situation in Guwahati clearly indicates that the parameters that describe a community transmission has already been met. It is a matter of concern not only to the people of Guwahati but also the entire north east. Guwahati is the main commercial centre of the entire north east besides being the region’s transit point. If the spread is now through community transmission then it multiplies the threat on all those going to Guwahati or transiting through. In such matters that involve not only Guwahati or Assam state but also of the entire north east including the nation of Bhutan; there is need for a unified strategy to protect all citizens. The spread of coronavirus across the north east has been accentuated by the arrival of several thousand persons to their respective states. A case in point was Nagaland which had no record, though one case was detected in Guwahati. Today from zero in March, there are 347 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Even Sikkim which had remained clean for so long, today has 79 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Neighbouring Manipur has around 921 cases and Mizoram some 142 cases. While Assam with 6282 and Tripura with 1259 are in the four-digit category(and possibly joined by Manipur if its toll rise further from 921), all other states have a three-digit COVID-19 tally. However, there is only one state that continues to defy logic and that is Meghalaya which strangely and for whatever reasons, continues to be stuck in two-digit 40s. The tally in Meghalaya for months has been hovering around 40- 46 and if the 42 recovered is considered, the state has only four active cases. It is hoped that detections in Meghalaya reflect the fact otherwise it could turn out to be catastrophic. Be that as it may, the threat of coronavirus in the region will escalate further when travel restrictions and unlock process begin.