Covid positivity rate in Bihar slumps to 0.5%

PATNA: The state’s daily Covid-19 count fell below 600-mark for the first time after over two months. Bihar recorded 589 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday. The positivity rate slumped to 0.5% after 1,00,196 samples were tested in the past 24 hours. The cumulative infection figure climbed to 7,15,179.
With 1,114 recoveries in the past 24 hours, the actives cases in state declined to 7,354 from 7,898 on Tuesday and the number of patients recovered reached up to 7,01,234.With new cases and discharged patients, Bihar’s recovery rate was 98.12% on Wednesday.
Supaul reported the maximum 57 cases, followed by Patna (55), Madhubani (42), Araria (37), Purnia (36), Saran (25) and 24 each in Muzaffarpur and Samastipur. Fourteen districts reported single-digit cases, including one each in Bhojpur and Sheikhpura. The active cases in 13 districts fell below 100-mark.
State health department’s bulletin showed 20 deaths, including four in Patna, 3 in Vaishali, two each in Madhepura, Purvi Champaran and Katihar and one each in Sheikhpura, Supaul, Kishanganj, Darbhanga, Araria and Gopalganj.
Unofficially, nine deaths were reported, including five at AIIMS-Patna and four at NMCH on Wednesday.
Health minister Mangal Pandey said due to awareness of the people, the state was about to win over the second wave of pandemic. “As the infection rate of the state has come down to 0.58%, the recovery rate has also increased to more than 98%. After taking lessons from the second wave, the state has geared up for the likely third wave. Whether it is medical resources or infrastructure or increase in manpower, the department is taking all measures,” he said.
The minister said the department has set a target to complete the work of setting up oxygen plants and other related work in the state hospitals in three months. “For the ease and convenience of the people of the state, 839 Tika Express vans are being run for vaccination in urban and rural areas of the state,” he said.
Pandey claimed that Bihar is the first state in the country to carry vaccination through mobile vehicles.
Meanwhile, altogether 121.780 beneficiaries were administered the anti-Covid vaccines on Wednesday, which included 1,16,802 beneficiaries who received their first dose.