Masks made mandatory, Covid-19 cases up to 153 in Bihar

A sudden surge in the number of cases, with around 86 having been reported since April 15, had prompted the state government to make masks mandatory in public places with immediate effect.

There was a spike in the number of coronavirus cases from Rohtas after six people tested positive in Sasaram, followed by four in Munger, accounting for 10 cases on Thursday, pushing Bihar’s tally to 153.

Daily wagers strive to find income in Khazapura, Patna. (Parwaz Khan / Hindustan Times)

A sudden surge in the number of cases, with around 86 having been reported since April 15, had prompted the state government to make masks mandatory in public places with immediate effect.

“Masks need not be surgical masks but can be homemade double-layered or a clean multi-layered ‘gumcha’. We must protect ourselves and others. Collective action is what we need,” said Bihar’s principal secretary, health, Sanjay Kumar, in a tweet.

Two people from Biharsharif, a 24 year-old male and 70-year-old female in Biharsharif of Nalanda district turned positive late Wednesday evening. The septuagenarian woman is the oldest Covid-19 positive case reported in the state so far.

All the 10 cases reported on Thursday had come in contact with Covid-19 positive patients, said an official of the health department. Further tracing of their contacts were on, said the official.

Among the 10 cases reported Thursday, four were senior citizens. The gradual increase in the average age of Covid-19 patients was adding to the worries of the health department as immunity of elderly people and children below 10 years of age was believed to be compromised, especially if they had co-morbid conditions.

Jamalpur has accounted for over a dozen cases in the past one week, and most of these have been linked to a 60- year-old vegetable seller who had travelled on foot to and from Bihar Sharif in Nalanda district last month to attend a Tablighi Jamaat congregation.

Around 13,785 samples had been sent for tests.

Around 2,254 people with influenza like illness and severe acute respiratory syndrome, which were identical to Covid-19 symptoms, had been found during the house-to-house survey. Samples of 1,804 had already been taken, said health officials.

Of Bihar’s total 153 cases, Nalanda and Munger accounted for 31 cases each, followed by Siwan (29), Patna (16), Begusarai (9), Buxar (8), Rohtas (7), Gaya, Bhagalpur (5 each), Gopalganj, Nawada (3 each), Saran, Lakhisarai, Vaishali, Bhojpur, East Champaran, Banka (1 each).

With 44 patients having recovered, the health department claimed 30% patients had been cured, while two deaths were reported to the virus.