61 fresh COVID-19 cases reported in Bihar; total cases rise to 2,166

Sixty-one more people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Bihar, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 2,166, health department officials said.

Of the fresh cases, the highest number was reported in Buxar (13), followed by Khagaria (nine), Gaya (seven), East Champaran (six), five each in Bhagalpur, West Champaran and Sitamarhi, three each in Begusarai, Muzaffarpur and Munger and one each in Arwal and Kaimur districts, they said.

Late on Friday (May 23) evening, the health department tweeted, “61 more COVID-19 +ve cases in Bihar taking the total to 2166. We are ascertaining their trail of infection.”

The patients from Buxar include two one-year-old boys and a seven-year-old girl, it said.

A 22-year-old migrant worker, who died three days ago soon upon his return from Delhi, was acknowledged on Friday as Bihar’s 11th COVID-19 fatality by the state health department.

According to a senior health department official, the deceased, who belonged to Khagaria district, had returned to the state by a special train on Tuesday (May 19).

He had a high fever and died within hours of arrival, following which his sample was collected and sent for testing. The report confirmed that he was infected with the dreaded novel coronavirus.

The contagion has so far claimed the lives of 11 people, including two each in Patna, Vaishali and Khagaria districts and one each in Rohtas, Munger, East Champaran, Sitamarhi and Begusarai districts.

Of the total 2,166 positive cases in the state, 1,526 are active while 629 COVID-19 patients have recovered.

At 186, Patna topped the list of positive cases, followed by Munger (140), Begusarai (125), Rohtas (123), Madhubani (115), Buxar (113), Jehanabad (106) and Khagaria (105).

A total of 58,905 samples have been tested so far at seven facilities in Patna, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, and Darbhanga.