Patna woman tests COVID-19 positive, Bihar's tally reaches 86

(Eds: With fresh updates)

Patna, Apr 18 () A 32-year-old woman from Patna tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in Bihar to 86, a top official said here.

Principal Secretary, Health, Sanjay Kumar said the woman, hailing from Khajpura locality in the city, was admitted to AIIMS, Patna and her contact tracing was on.

Sources in the Health department said she was admitted to the hospital on Friday with complaint of breathing trouble and that her having no recent travel history was a matter of concern since it could be indicative of community transmission.

The latest case was reported less than 24 hours after two persons, a 17-year-old from Nalanda and a 42-year-old from Begusarai, had tested positive.

The pandemic has so far claimed two lives -- one each from Munger and Vaishali districts. While Vaishali has reported its lone case, Munger happens to be the second-most affected by the outbreak in Bihar with 17 cases, six of whom have recovered.

Siwan has reported the maximum number of 29 cases while Begusarai holds the third spot with nine followed by Nalanda and Patna (one each). Out of 38 districts in the state, only 13 have so far reported COVID 19 cases.

According to the state health department, altogether 42 COVID-19 patients have recovered in Bihar till date.

The total number of samples tested so far is 10,130 and the health department expects it to pick up speed with the arrival of 6,240 "rapid test kits" in the afternoon, which the principal secretary called the "first tranche" from the Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare.

"It is an antibody-based kit. The department is formulating a comprehensive strategy for its usage", he said.

The official also shared on his Twitter handle a chart to underscore there has been a progressive decline in the doubling rate of COVID-19 cases in the state, which reported its first couple of cases on March 22.

It has taken 10 days for the state to see a two-fold rise in the number of cases from 43, on April 8. Previously, the number had doubled from 21 as recorded on March 31 in eight days. The fastest doubling of cases was seen in the initial phase when the number reached four on March 24 within a couple of days of reporting its first two cases. NAC RG CK