A health worker administers a dose of COVID-19 vaccine to a beneficiary in Patna, December 31, 2021. Photo: PTI
Patna: COVID-19 continued its gallop across Bihar on Sunday as 352 new cases, 71 more than the previous day’s figure, were reported, even as Patna remained the worst affected district, with 17 doctors among the 142 who tested positive.
According to the health department, active cases have shot past the four-digit mark and reached 1074.
On Friday and Saturday, Bihar had registered 158 and 281 new cases respectively. However, no fatality due to the disease has been reported in the last four days and the death toll remained unchanged at 12,096
The district administration in Patna has gone into a tizzy after 17 junior doctors at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) in the city tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
NMCH superintendent Vinod Kumar Singh said samples of 70 junior doctors, who had attended an Indian Medical Association (IMA) function here last week, were sent for testing after they complained of symptoms.
“Rapid antigen reports of 17 of them were positive. They have been placed in isolation and RT PCR results are awaited,” Singh said.
The administration has, meanwhile, swung into action and embarked on an active contact tracing drive.
The IMA function was attended by a number of dignitaries, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Earlier, on Saturday two doctors of AIIMS, Patna had tested positive for COVID-19.
According to the IMA, Bihar was among the states reporting the highest number of doctors’ deaths during the second wave earlier this year.
Other than Patna, the fresh surge has badly hit Gaya, an important Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage centre, which accounted for 110 of the fresh cases.
Patna (544) and Gaya (277) together also account for about 80% of the state’s total active caseload.
Of the 7,27,529 people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in the state till date, 7,14,358 have recovered. Altogether 6.12 crore samples have been tested so far, including 95,785 in the last 24 hours.
The state has so far accounted for one confirmed case of the omicron variant.