Assam records 2 218 fresh COVID-19 cases infection tally reaches 57 714

    Guwahati, Aug 8 (PTI) Assam reported 2,218 fresh COVID-19 cases and eight deaths due to the disease on Saturday, taking the infection tally to 57,714, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
    The death toll due to COVID-19 has reached 140 in the state, he said.
    Of the eight fatalities, two each were reported from Nalbari and Tinsukia and one each from Morigaon, Kokrajhar, Nagaon and Dibrugarh, the minister said.
    He said 299 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported from Kamrup Metropolitan district, 165 from Cachar, 150 from Nagaon and 142 from Dibrugarh.
    "2,218 COVID-19 cases detected out of 54,845 tests in last 24 hrs. We have managed to maintain low positivity rate 4.04 per cent,” the minister tweeted.
    The total number of COVID-19 tests conducted so far in the state is 12,93,712.
    "1,782 patients have been discharged today. A good number indeed. My best wishes with all recovered patients and their families,” Sarma said on Twitter.
    Out of the total 57,714 patients, 140 have died, there are 16,980 active cases, 40,591 have recovered and three migrated out of the state, he said.
    Meanwhile, AIUDF MLA Nizamuddin Choudhury and eight members of his family tested positive for COVID-19. He is the ninth legislator in the state to be infected by the virus, an official said.
    The Algapur MLA is also the first legislator from his party to test positive for the disease. His family members, driver and personal security officers have also tested positive and the legislator is currently in home isolation.
    In Assam, nine legislators have tested positive for the highly contagious disease, and out of them, seven are from the BJP and one each from the Congress and AIUDF.
    According to officials, two COVID-19 positive women gave birth to healthy baby girls at Nalbari COVID Hospital.
    PTI DG SRY

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)