Fresh coronavirus cases reported in Bihar, 9 afficted

Three fresh cases of coronavirus have been reported from Bihar in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of those who have tested positive for the dreaded COVID-19 to nine, the health department said on Friday.

According to Pradip Das, Director of Rajendra Memorial Research Institute here, an ICMR centre, test reports of two staff members of a private hospital in the city, where a coronavirus patient was admitted last week before being shifted to AIIMS-Patna where he died, have been positive.

Besides, another patient admitted to the Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH) here hailing from Siwan, has tested positive, he added.

Health department sources said the patient had recently returned to Siwan from Dubai.

The infected private hospital staff members, who are also at NMCH, worked at a health care facility in Khemnichak locality where a 38-year-old man from Munger suffering from renal problems was admitted last week and referred to AIIMS- Patna subsequently.

The man had returned from Qatar and his samples were sent for testing to the AIIMS when he developed respiratory problems. His family members told the hospital authorities about his travel history.

He died on Saturday, a day before his test reports came in, confirming that he was suffering from COVID 19.

The private hospital has been sealed by district health authorities and samples of 13 of its staff members have been sent for testing so far while efforts are on to trace all those who might have come in contact with the deceased patient.

Two persons, a woman in her 40s and a 12-year-old boy, who lived in a house adjacent to the residence of the deceased at Munger, tested positive on Thursday and were rushed to a hospital in Bhagalpur.

Earlier, a middle-aged woman whose son had travelled to Europe tested positive on Sunday last and is admitted to AIIMS, Patna. A day later, a young man who had travelled to Scotland and admitted to NMCH, had tested positive.