Bihar reports ninth COVID death; total cases rise to 1,423

A 75-year-old became the ninth COVID-19 fatality in the state while 97 people tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of cases to 1,423, a top Health department official said on Monday.

The deceased was the resident of Jandaha Hajipur of Vaishali district and died at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital on Monday, Principal Secretary, Health, Sanjay Kumar said, adding that she died of cardiopulmonary arrest.

The woman was admitted on May 16 in ICU of NMCH after she was referred from Sadar hospital, Vaishali, he said, adding that the patient did not have any travel history nor any contact history.

The contagion has claimed a total of nine lives till date that includes two deaths each from Patna and Vaishali while one each from Khagaria, Rohtas, Munger, East Champaran and Sitamarhi.

Among the 97 fresh positive cases reported from different districts on Monday, Gopalganj constituted the highest at 31, followed by 14 in Begusarai.

Seven cases were reported from Munger, six each from Supaul and Nalanda, five from Muzaffarpur, four each from Bhagalpur, Madhubani and Vaishali, three each from Katihar and Saran, two each from Arwal and Bhojpur and one each from Patna, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Nawada, Purnea and Kaimur.

Of the 1,423 positive cases in the state, 652 are migrant labourers who have come from outside the state.

Out of 652 positive migrant labourers, the maximum 218 have come from Delhi followed by 141 from Maharashtra, 139 from Gujarat, 36 from Haryana, and 33 from West Bengal.

Talking to reporters, Transport Secretary Sanjay Kumar Agarwal said that more than five lakh migrant labourers, students and other passengers have come to Bihar till May 17 in 320 special trains and buses.

Around 8.20 lakh more migrant labourers are expected to come to Bihar by 505 special trains in the next eight to nine days, Agarwal said, adding that 76,000 labourers and other passengers arrived in the state by 47 trains on Monday.

Officials said 499 have recovered from COVID-19 and the number of active cases was 915.

With 165 cases, Patna topped the list of positive cases for the first time since the state reported its first positive case on March 21. Munger with 133 cases stood second.

The other badly affected districts include Rohtas (91), Nalanda (74), Madhubani (73), Begusarai (70), Buxar (62), Khagaria (55), Siwan (45).