Bihar fears community transmission after two deaths in 24 hours

The death marks the second COVID-19 casualty in Bihar. A 38-year-old from Munger had died on March 21, a day before his test reports confirmed him to be coronavirus-infected.

A 35-year-old COVID-19 patient man, also suffering from multiple ailments, died here on Friday raising the coronavirus pandemic death toll in Bihar to two.

NDRF personnel sanitizing the Dak Bungalow area during lockdown against coronavirus, in Patna. (Santosh Kumar/ Hindustan Times)

Following the death of the adjacent Vaishali district’s man here in AIIMS, Patna, the adjoining district administration said the deceased had no travel history and feared that his testing positive could be indicative of community transmission of the virus.

The death marks the second COVID-19 casualty in Bihar. A 38-year-old from Munger had died on March 21, a day before his test reports confirmed him to be coronavirus-infected.

The Vaishali man, who died in AIIMS here, was also suffering from numerous complications besides having tested positive for COVID 19, Patna AIIMS Director Prabhat Kumar Singh told PTI-Bhasha.

According to sources in the health department, the deceased belonged to Raghopur panchayat falling under Vaishali district and suffered from tuberculosis, typhoid, brain fever and several other illnesses.

Before being referred to AIIMS, Patna he was admitted to a private hospital here, which has been sealed, and its occupants quarantined, after he tested positive two days ago.

Vaishali District Magistrate Udita Singh said, the deceased had no travel history. After falling ill, he had visited Samastipur and, later, Patna for treatment. Given the circumstances, his testing positive raises the probability of community transmission.

Accordingly, instructions have been issued to strictly enforce lockdown in the district.

The area within a radius of three kilometers from the village of the deceased has been made a containment zone wherein entry and egress has been banned and all essential supplies were being made by the administration, which was also carrying out sanitization of the zone, she added.

More than 60 samples, of people who may have come in contact with the deceased, have been sent for testing. None has reported positive so far, she said.

The deceased happened to be the lone case reported from Vaishali district, which is among the 13 out of 38 in Bihar where people have tested COVID-19 positive. Siwan and Munger districts have reported maximum cases of infection.

At least 83 people have tested positive for the dreaded coronavirus in the state so far. Of these, 37 have recovered.