COVID-19: Four more test positive in Himachal Pradesh, total cases rise to 19

Four Tablighi Jamaat members who attended a religious congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin have tested positive for coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh, a senior health official said.

With this, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state rose to 19.

Additional Chief Secretary (Health) R D Dhiman said 83 samples were collected in the state on Monday and the report of 81 was out, of which four tested positive, two samples will be tested again and the rest came out negative.

All the four who tested positive were from Tissa area of Chamba district and had attended the Jamaat event in the national capital, he said.

Eleven COVID-19 patients were being treated in the state and all of them had attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation. Two of the total cases have recovered, two died and four patients voluntarily shifted to a private hospital outside Himachal Pradesh, a health department official said.

Of the two deaths reported in the hill state, one was a 70-year-old woman, a Delhi resident, who was staying at a factory's guest house in Baddi since March 15. She died in PGIMER Chandigarh on April 2.

Her four relatives who were later tested COVID-19 positive were shifted to a private hospital outside Himachal Pradesh according to their wish.