Lahowal MLA Rituparna Baruah Tests COVID-19+

Lahowal MLA Rituparna Baruah has been tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. Baruah came out positive in the Rapid Antigen Test conducted at Assam Assembly ahead of the assembly session to be started on August 31.

A total of 20 legislators have so far tested positive for COVID-19 in the state. On Saturday Assam Hill Areas Development Minister Sum Ronghang became the first minister of the BJP-led state government to contract with the virus.

Apart from Ronghang, Ganesh Kumar Limbo (Barchalla), Sibu Misra (Lumding) and Bir Bhadra Hagjer (Haflong) also tested positive and are being treated at different hospitals, officials said.

While Limbo and Misra's test results came out on Friday, Hagjer was diagnosed with Covid-19 through a rapid antigen test (RAT) inside the assembly premises.

The assembly is conducting RAT for all its employees, officials, MLAs and media persons ahead of the four-day Autumn Session from Monday.

During the two-day testing in the assembly, the reports of 14 persons, including a journalist and an MLA, have come out positive, another official said.

Out of the 20 legislators who have contracted the virus, 12 are from the BJP and four from its allies, including two from the AGP.

Former chief minister Tarun Gogoi had tested positive on August 25 and was admitted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.

BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, too, tested positive for coronavirus.