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HP assembly speaker, minister Markanda among 247 test positive for Covid
The death toll in the hill-state has touched 250-mark as one more patient succumbed to the contagion.
Himachal Pradesh recorded 247 fresh Covid-19 infections on Wednesday, taking the state’s total tally to 18,009.
Of the new cases, 54 were reported in Shimla, 37 in Solan, 34 each in Kullu and Mandi, 27 in Sirmaur, 17 in Kangra, 15 in Bilaspur, 11 in Hamripur, nine each in Chamba and Una and five in Lahaul-Spiti.
Himachal assembly speaker Vipin Singh Parmar tested positive for Covid-19 in late evening. “After initial symptoms, I got tested and the results came as positive. I am home isolating at my official residence and will be back soon after recovering,” Parmar wrote on his Facebook page.
State information technology and tribal development minister Ram Lal Markanda, 54, has tested positive for Covid-19. Markanda is in isolation at his official residence in Shimla. He developed symptoms of coronavirus infection and underwent the test for Covid-19. “I had come across a corona positive person. I have tested positive and have isolated myself at the residence on the doctor’s advice,” he shared on social media.
DEATH TOLL REACHES 250
The death toll in the hill-state has touched 250-mark as one more patient succumbed to the contagion. Wednesday’s fatality was reported in Mandi district.
Till date, Kangra district has recorded maximum 55 deaths, followed by Shimla where 54 people have died due to the virus. Solan, the worst hit district in terms of number of cases, has recorded 35 deaths. The case fatalities in state are at 1.4%.
OVER 15K RECOVERIES
Meanwhile, the recoveries in Himachal have crossed the 15,000-mark as 232 more people were discharged on Wednesday. The total recoveries stand at 15,217
The recovery rate in the state is 84.7%. There are more than 2,500 confirmed cases per million. In the last one week, the number of new infections has grown by an average of 1.2% every day. The state has conducted 3.33 lakh test—over 45,000 tests per million.
With 3,376 cases Solan remains the worst-hit district followed by Kangra where 2,696 people have been found infected. Mandi has 2,177 cases, Sirmaur 2,052, Shimla 1,784, Una 1,432, Bilaspur 1,052, Hamirpur 1,046, Chamba 995Kullu 936, Lahaul-Spiti 251 and Kinnaur 212.
INTER-STATE BUS SERVICE RESUMES AFTER 7 MONTHS
Himachal Road Transport Corporation resumed its interstate bus service after seven months.
The decision to resume bus services was taken in view of the upcoming festival season as well as demand from the common masses.
Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown had put brakes on interstate transport in March. The service have been resumed on 25 routes that mainly include Chandigarh, Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Ambala among others in the first phase.
Inter-state Bus Terminal (ISBT) Shimla in-charge Rama Nand Thakur said as many as six buses have been sent to Chandigarh from Shimla which were filled up to permitted capacity.
