Bihar records 180 new COVID-19 cases, tally nearing 2,600

Bihar has reported 180 new cases of COVID-19 from 15 districts, pushing the tally to 2,574 in the state, the health department said.

Of the fresh cases, Nawada and East Champaran accounted for 11 each and the state capital Patna recorded four new infections, it said.

The health department, in a tweet late on Sunday evening, said,"63 more COVID-19 +ve cases in Bihar taking the total to 2,574... We are ascertaining their trail of infection".

Earlier on Sunday, the state had registered 117 new positive cases and two fatalities due to the contagion, taking the death toll to 13.

A 60-year-old man from Siwan died at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH), Patna, while another 48-year-old COVID-19 positive patient from Saran passed away on Saturday, but the health department informed about the death on Sunday.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of those who died due to COVID-19.

The state now has 1,859 active cases, while 702 patients have recovered from the disease and been discharged from hospitals, the bulletin said.

Patna tops the state's COVID-19 list with 200 cases followed by Rohtas at 165.

Migrant labourers, who started returning to Bihar from the first week of May, constitute 62 per cent of the total confirmed cases in the state, the bulletin added.