Fresh COVID-19 case in HP, tally rises to 48

One more person tested positive for coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district on Friday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 48, an official said.

Hamirpur had become coronavirus-free on April 29 after the last two patients in the district tested negative for the infection.

A 42-year-old man from Bijhari town in Bijhri tehsil has tested positive for coronavirus. He had returned to Hamirpur from Delhi on April 29, Deputy Commissioner Hairkesh Meena said.

The man's samples were sent for testing on Thursday and his report came back positive on Friday, Meena told PTI.

He has been admitted to Radha Soami Charitable Hospital in Hamirpur's Bhota and area within three kilometers of his residence has been declared a containment zone as per protocol, he added.

The patient's contacts are being traced, the deputy commissioner said.

Himachal Pradesh has seven active cases with two in Chamba, and one each in Hamirpur, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur and Kangra districts, according to officials.

While 34 people have recovered, three have died. Four people were shifted to other states for treatment.

The fatalities include a 70-year-old Delhi resident who stayed at a guest house of a factory in Solan's Baddi and died at PGIMER, Chandigarh on April 2.