Bihar reported a total of 739 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 24,967, the state health department said on Saturday. The state has seen over 200 deaths while the number of recoveries in the state is over 14,000.
Coronavirus cases in Bihar are on a rise with the Centre expressing concern over the surge. The Union Health Ministry has directed the government of Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal and Assam to take necessary steps to suppress Covid-19 transmission and keep the fatality rate below 1 percent.
The move came after a virtual meeting was held by Union Health Secretary on July 15 to review the Covid-19 situation in these states, news agency ANI reported.
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“Renewed efforts are needed to suppress the transmission as well as to keep case fatality rate below 1 percent. The state should utilise the lockdown to focus on containment, surveillance and testing in the containment and buffer zones as the key strategy for early detection of cases and fatality management,” Union Health Ministry’s Lav Agarwal said in a letter to the Principal Secretaries (Health) and Secretary (Health) of these states.
The letter stated that in Bihar, cases are rising with almost 450-500 fresh infections being reported daily and 80 percent of the total active cases in the state were reported in the last seven days.
{{/usCountry}}The letter stated that in Bihar, cases are rising with almost 450-500 fresh infections being reported daily and 80 percent of the total active cases in the state were reported in the last seven days.
{{/usCountry}}Districts like Patna, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Nalanda, Begusarai and Munger are reporting a higher number of cases while Saharsa, Gaya, Paschim Champaran, Jamui, Arwal, Saran and Khagaria are the emerging hotspots.
The letter noted that the overall Covid-19 testing is very low in the state vis-a-vis national average and an increasing trend in case positivity rate on a weekly basis is also a cause of concern, the letter read.
(With inputs from ANI)