Guwahati, May 11 (PTI): Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday held a meeting with ministers Keshab Mahanta and Jogen Mohan as well as top officials to assess the Covid-19 situation in the state which has been witnessing a surge in cases. Sarma, who was the health minister in the previous government, asked the two ministers and senior officers to extensively travel all parts of the state for effective enforcement of coronavirus related restrictions, a government release said in Guwahati. Sarma was sworn-in as the chief minister on Monday. Portfolios were not yet allocated to the 13 ministers who had also taken oath along with him.
The chief minister also reviewed the vaccination status, vaccine stock, availability of oxygen and essential medicines, the release said.
Stressing the need for creating mass awareness to ensure strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols by all sections of the society to arrest the rising number of cases, Sarma directed officials to ensure rapid vaccination in big cities to check the spread of the disease to villages.
On Monday, Assam reported a record 77 Covid-19 deaths, besides the highest single-day spike of 5,803 new cases. There were 37,500 active cases in the state.
Chief Secretary Jishnu Barua, Director General of Police Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta, Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Anurag Goyal and other senior officials were present at the meeting.
