Two more coronavirus-positive cases, one having a link to the Nizamuddin event and the other who had travelled from Saudi Arabia, were detected in Dhubri and Hailakandi districts on Tuesday, taking the total number of Covid-19 patients in Assam to 28.

The patient, who had attended the religious congregation in Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz in March, is the first in Dhubri to test positive.

Dhubri joint director of health service S.M. Emdad Ullah said the swab sample of the person, a resident of Mowatari village under Chapar revenue circle, was sent to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) on April 5 and it tested positive. Dhubri additional deputy commissioner (health) Ankur Bharali said of 25 samples sent for tests, 24 had tested negative.

A preliminary probe has found that the person attended the Delhi event from March 5 to 9, returned to Guwahati on March 11 on Rajdhani Express, left for Abhyapuri in Bongaigaon district through a local train and arrived at his residence on March 12. On March 18, he went to a hospital in Bongaigaon town for treatment of cough.

The patient has been sent to Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital in Guwahati where he will be kept in isolation and treated. Medical officials said 18 samples of his family members have been collected and sent for tests. All his family members have been put under home quarantine.

The Dhubri district administration on Tuesday ordered closure of all shops till further orders in Bilasipara subdivision following the surfacing of the Covid-19 case in Chapar. An area of 5km radius from the infected person’s house has been sealed.

The Karbi Anglong administration, to ensure proper lockdown, has tightened security in the district. The Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council has issued a notification, prohibiting sale of meat.

The district administrations of Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Majuli in Upper Assam and east Arunachal Pradesh are keeping strict vigil on stock of essential commodities. The Dhemaji administration has distributed 1,872 food packets to 4,546 households. It has distributed 454 quintals of rice, 90 quintals of pulses, 45 quintals of salt, biscuits and detergents in the district. Similar steps have been initiated in Lakhimpur, Majuli and Arunachal Pradesh.

In Goalpara district, three persons whose swab tests were positive on April 2, tested negative on Monday. The health department is now awaiting the report of their blood tests, sent to a Pune-based laboratory.

The state government has directed administrations to publicise chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s speeches on precautions to be taken to combat Covid-19 over loudspeakers in local languages. The government has also decided to run both electronic and print media advertisements to create awareness. “So far, state authorities and agencies have posted 246 Facebook posts and 422 tweets besides posting videos on Instagram and other websites,” an official statement said.

Given the stress over the Covid-19 pandemic, Assam police, in association with the department of psychiatry of GMCH, clinical psychologists and psychiatric social workers have launched tele-counselling helplines for those in need of mental health care. “Six helpline numbers, operational in two shifts, will be available for tele-counselling. Anyone can get support by calling 6026901053 /54/55/56/ 57 and 6026901058 from 9am till 9pm,” a release said.

Additional reporting by Suroj Barman in Haflong, Vinod Kumar Singh in Dhemaji, Sofikul Ahmed in Goalpara and Satananda Bhattacharjee in Hailakandi

The police have so far arrested 1,183 persons and detained 5,220 vehicles for lockdown violation, realised a fine of Rs 18.75 lakh, registered 23 cases of fake news on social media and arrested 13 persons.

The state government is trying to figure out its strategies to contain the disease if the nationwide lockdown ends on April 14. “Since a lockdown for a very long time will not be feasible, we believe there will be a proper systematic and scientific approach to it. Restrictions might be in force to adhere to social distancing norms,” health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The state government will discuss the lockdown in detail on April 12.