One more positive COVID-19 case in HP, count rises to 44

One more person tested positive for COVID-19 in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases to 44 in the state, officials said.

The patient is a resident of Jamanabad in Kangra district, Superintendent of Police Vimukt Ranjan said.

Meanwhile, Kangra Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Prajapati said the man was quarantined at Panchayati Raj Training Institute (PRTI) in Baijnath after he had been tested positive at Tanda's Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (RPGMC).

He returned from Dubai last month and subsequently came to his house in a taxi with three other persons on April 27. The taxi driver has also been identified.

The DC said the quarantined man's 24 contacts were identified. They have been quarantined and their samples have also been taken for testing, Prajapati added.

Meanwhile, one more person who had been staying at Gagret in Una district tested positive in Jammu and Kashmir.

A resident of Jammu, the man had returned to Jammu and Kashmir a few days ago and was tested positive at Lakhanpur, Una Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar said.

The DC said the district administration received information from Lakhanpur that the man had been tested positive for coronavirus. His contacts in Una district have been quarantined, he added.

Additional Chief Secretary (Health) R D Dhiman said, "Of the 600 samples sent for testing on Wednesday, 212 tested negative whereas the one from Kangra tested positive for the infection while reports of the rest are awaited."