No new coronavirus case in HP in last 8 days

Himachal Pradesh has not reported any fresh COVID-19 case in the past eight days, a senior state government official said on Friday.

So far, 41 coronavirus cases have been reported and the number of active cases in the state is five now, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) R D Dhiman said.

Two people have died of COVID-19 in the state. The fatalities include a 70-year-old Delhi resident who had stayed at a guest house of a factory in Solan''s Baddi and died at the PGIMER, Chandigarh, on April 2.

"Of the 340 samples sent for testing today, all tested negative for the infection," he said.

These tests are being conducted at five laboratories in the state at Tanda's Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (RPGMC), Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla, Palampur's Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) in Kangra, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College (SLBSGMC) Nerchowk in Mandi and Kasauli's Central Research Institute (CRI) in Solan.

The active cases are from Una, Chamba and Sirmaur districts of the hill state.

Nine out of total 12 districts of the state are coronavirus-free now. They are Kangra, Hamirpur, Solan, Shimla, Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Bilaspur, Mandi and Kullu.

Three active cases from Una, one each from Chamba and Sirmaur are being treated at Tanda's RPGMC, Bhota Charitable Hospital in Hamirpur and Katha's ESIC in Solan district.

A total of 30 patients including 13 from Una district, 5 each from Solan and Chamba, 4 from Kangra, 2 from Hamirpur and one patient from Sirmaur district have recovered so far.

Four patients were taken to a private hospital outside Himachal Pradesh.