Nothing to panic: Assam health minister on COVID situation in country; Switzerland returnee tests positive

GUWAHATI: "There is nothing to panic."

This was stated by Assam health minister Keshab Mahanta while speaking about the COVID situation in the country.

He said that no person without any travel history has tested positive for the coronavirus for a long time in Assam.

Furthermore, the Assam health minister allayed fears about the new sub-variant JN1.

He stated that experts have claimed that JN1 is a weak strain of the virus and human bodies have developed immunity to fight it.

"The union health ministry recently reviewed the COVID situation in all the states. In Assam, none without any travel history has tested positive for the coronavirus," Mahanta told reporters.

However, a person who has returned from Switzerland has tested positive for COVID-19, and the patient is currently under treatment in home isolation.

The minister said that Assam is prepared to tackle any situation and all necessary facilities, including isolation beds and doctors, are ready.

He said COVID-19 tests are no longer mandatory in Assam, though patients who exhibit likely symptoms are tested for the coronavirus.