103 new COVID-19 cases in HP; Dhumal, state BJP Chief in quarantine

Former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and Himachal Pradesh BJP chief Suresh Kashyap have gone into self-quarantine, while the state's infection tally has risen to 3,151 with 103 new COVID-19 cases.

Former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and Himachal Pradesh BJP chief Suresh Kashyap have gone into self-quarantine, while the state's infection tally has risen to 3,151 with 103 new COVID-19 cases. Kashyap has gone into self-quarantine as a precautionary measure despite testing negative for COVID-19, a party spokesperson said on Friday.

Dhumal, along with his staff members, has quarantined himself at his house in Hamirpur district as a precaution, one of his Facebook posts stated. Dhumal quarantined himself as he had recently attended a meeting with Kashyap, who was in close contact with Power Minister Sukh Ram Chaudhry, who alongwith his PSO and two daughters tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the offices of Municipal Corporation (MC) and Superintendent of Police (SP) in Shimla remained closed for sanitisation on Friday as the PSO had recently visited these places, the officials said. Of the fresh cases, 36 were reported from Solan, 15 from Sirmaur, 13 from Chamba, 12 from Kangra, eight each from Shimla and Una, six from Kullu, four from Bilaspur and one from Mandi, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) R D Dhiman said.

As many as 89 more COVID-19 patients -- 25 in Solan, 15 in Kangra, 13 in Shimla, 12 in Sirmaur, 10 in Mandi, six in Kullu, five in Una two in Kinnaur and one in Bilaspur -- have recovered from the infection, he said. So far, 1,954 people have recovered from the infection in Himachal Pradesh, while 26 patients have migrated out of the state.

The death toll due to the disease stands at 13, he said, adding that there are 1,156 active COVID-19 cases in the state at present. Solan has the highest number of active cases in the state at 409, followed by 137 in Mandi, 101 in Kangra, 94 in Una, 92 in Sirmaur, 68 in Bilaspur, 66 in Shimla, 65 in Kullu, 63 in Chamba, 51 in Hamirpur and 10 in Kinnaur.