19 test positive for COVID-19 in Bihar, total count 242

Bihar reported 19 fresh coronavirus cases on Saturday, raising the total number of COVID-19 patients in the state to 242, a top health department official said here.

According to Principal Secretary, Health, Sanjay Kumar, Kaimur district accounted for six cases, followed by Buxar (five). The central Bihar district of Arwal reported its first case, while Rohtas and Patna accounted for two cases each. Bhojpur, Saran and Vaishali reported a case each.

Those who have tested positive for the disease in Kaimur include four police personnel, a woman aged 28 years and three men aged between 34 and 48 years. In addition, a 42-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy, both residents of Chainpur village, have tested positive for the dreaded virus.

Chainpur village was visited by an elderly woman from the adjoining Rohtas district earlier this month. She had come to her married daughter's house, where she fell ill. After returning home, she tested positive for COVID-19.

The woman triggered a chain of infection in Rohtas and Kaimur districts, which together account for more than 20 active cases.

In the state capital, two more residents of the Khajpura locality -- both men aged 24 and 35 years -- tested positive for the virus.

Situated in the densely-populated western corner of the city, Khajpura has emerged as a hotspot, where the infection chain started last week when a woman, who was admitted to AIIMS, Patna with breathing trouble, tested positive for COVID-19. Subsequently, a neighbour, who happened to be her worker's husband, also tested positive for the virus.

The locality was rocked by an explosion of cases with eight persons, all members of the same household and including a girl under 10 years of age, tested positive for COVID-19.

On Friday, a resident of Patel Nagar, who works at a bank in the posh Dak Bungalow Road locality, tested positive for the virus and it turned out that he was in touch with vegetable sellers from Khajpura, before the locality became a hotspot and was sealed.

The bank employee's case has triggered panic in Patel Nagar, where the entire street leading to his apartment has been sealed, while all residents of the building have been quarantined and their samples are being tested. Spraying of disinfectants is on in the area.

The district administration has also ordered closure of the bank branch, where the man worked as a cashier, until further orders while contact-tracing is on for those who might have come in touch with him.

All the cases in Buxar have been reported from Naya Bhojpur village, which falls under the Dumraon sub-division and now accounts for 29 cases. The infection chain there was triggered by two middle-aged men who tested positive for the disease more than a week ago and had a travel history to West Bengal's Asansol, where they attended a Tablighi Jamaat congregation.

Of the 38 districts in the state, 21 have reported COVID-19 cases. Only two of those -- Gopalganj and Lakhisarai -- do not have any active case currently.

Munger happens to be the worst-affected district in the state with 62 cases. One patient from the district has died, while six have recovered.

Nalanda is on a distant second spot with 34 cases, of which 31 are active. It is closely followed by Siwan, where 30 people have tested positive for the virus, of whom 18 have recovered.

Patna has 29 cases now, including five patients who have recovered. Most of the 24 recovered cases are from Khajpura and adjoining localities such as Jagdeo Path and Patel Nagar. Besides, one person each has tested positive in rural Patna's Masaurhi and Bakhtiarpur.

Buxar shares the fourth spot in terms of number of coronavirus cases in the state with Patna, accounting for as many cases. Kaimur and Rohtas with 19 and 11 cases respectively are the only other districts where the figure of infected persons is in double digits.

Two persons have died -- one each in Munger and Vaishali districts -- both men in their 30s.

The total number of samples tested so far in the state is 15,885.