Bihar COVID-19 death toll rises to 34, infection tally soars to 5,583

The COVID-19 situation remained grim in Bihar on Wednesday as the total number of cases soared to 5,583, with as many as 243 fresh ones being reported, even as the death toll rose to 34.

State health secretary Lokesh Singh said a north Bihar district reported its second casualty in less than a week. He said the deceased hailed from Darbhanga. The 59-year-old had tested positive recently upon return from Maharashtra. He also suffered from high blood pressure and diabetes, the official said.

On Monday, a sample of a 37-year-old man from the district who had returned from Delhi last week and fallen ill upon reaching home where he died, had tested positive.

Other districts in the state to have reported COVID-19 related deaths are Khagaria and Begusarai (three each), Bhojpur, Patna, Saran, Sitamarhi, Siwan and Vaishali (two each) and Araria, Bhagalpur, Jamui, Jehanabad, Madhepura, Munger, Muzaffarpur, Nalanda, Nawada, East Champaran, Rohtas, Samastipur and Sheohar (one each).

The spurt witnessed during the day has been on account of a high number of cases reported from Purnea, Bhojpur, Madhubani, Bhagalpur and Rohtas, Saran and Kishanganj districts.

The spike was most notable in Purnea where 55 cases were reported, causing the tally to cross the 200-mark. All 38 districts in the state have reported COVID-19 cases, with the worst affected ones being Patna (294), Begusarai (282), Khagaria and Bhagalpur (280 each), Rohtas (258), Madhubani (240) and Munger (224).

Only nine districts of the state have less than 100 confirmed cases. According to the health secretary, the number of people who have tested positive upon coming to Bihar from outside since May 3 is 3,989.

He also said that at present, testing of samples was being conducted in 32 districts of the state, and the remaining six administrative units would be equipped with the necessary facilities by June 13. The total number of samples collected so far is 1.09 lakh. The number of patients who have recovered after having tested positive is 2,934.

(Representative image: PTI)