Highest spike of 1432 COVID-19 cases in Bihar

However, the recovery rate has dropped to 69.06 per cent from more than 77 per cent a week ago. Health Minister Mangal Pandey underscored that the rise in number of new coronavirus cases ought to be viewed in the light of "improved testing capability".

Bihar recorded the biggest single-day spike of 1,432 novel coronavirus cases, taking the tally to 18,853 on Tuesday, while the toll rose to 143 with nine more deaths, the Health Department said. IAS officer Amir Subhani, currently the additional chief secretary for home, is among those infected. He has been advised home quarantine.

Three casualties were reported in Patna district, one of them renowned ENT surgeon N K Singh who passed away at the AIIMS here. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said in his condolence message that in the demise of Singh, "the medical fraternity has suffered an irreparable loss".

Two deaths were also reported from Gaya, and one each from Khagaria, Munger, West Champaran and Purnea districts, the department said in its bulletin. Patna district reported the highest number of 162 new cases, including 24 office-bearers workers and employees of the BJP state headquarters.

Other districts reporting high numbers of cases were Begusarai (114), Nalanda (107), Nawada (92), Bhagalpur (61), West Champaran (58), Siwan (55), Muzaffarpur (54) and Gaya (50). The department said the number of people who have recovered were 13,019. However, the recovery rate has dropped to 69.06 per cent from more than 77 per cent a week ago.

Health Minister Mangal Pandey underscored that the rise in number of new coronavirus cases ought to be viewed in the light of "improved testing capability". Pandey pointed out that the number of samples tested in the last 24 hours was 10,018, a five-digit figure for the first time. He said the testing rate was likely to rise since all sub-divisional hospitals were now being equipped with the required facilities.

The minister asserted that the 15-day lockdown clamped from July 16 was aimed at breaking the infection chain. The highest number of confirmed cases so far have been from Patna (2,259), followed by Bhagalpur (1,134), Begusarai (927), Muzaffarpur (841), Siwan (766), Madhubani (667), and Nalanda and Nawada (659 each), the department said.

Patna tops the list of total casualties so far (18), followed by Bhagalpur (12), Darbhanga (10), Gaya, Nalanda and Samastipur (seven each), and Begusarai, Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, Rohtas and Siwan (six each). PTI NAC SNS HMB.