Volunteers help fight coronavirus, floods in Assam, July 18, 2020
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Special Arrangement
Medical waste has raised concerns over spread of the coronavirus
Adding to the worries of authorities, floodwaters in Assam have spread discarded medical waste from hospitals and COVID Care Centres, raising fears of infection among people in inundated areas.
Three more people drowned on Saturday, taking the rain-related toll to 105. While 79 persons have drowned or were washed away, 26 died in landslides.
Officials of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) have voiced concern over reports of discarded personal protection equipment kits, masks, blood pouches, syringes and other hospital wastes amid floodwaters in some parts of the State.
Locals in Chandrapur near Guwahati had complained to the authorities about such discarded wastes flowing into their compounds. Officials said a private fir