PATNA: There was no respite from surge in Covid cases in the state with 2,379 more people testing positive for the virus in the last 24 hours. With this, the number of active cases in the state has increased to 5,785.
Alarmed by the exponential rise in Covid cases, the state government on Thursday announced closure of all educational institutions with immediate effect, including coaching centres, till January 21. However, office staff of the educational institutions have been allowed to work at 50% strength so that online classes could be conducted smoothly. Earlier, students of Class IX onwards were allowed to attend offline classes with 50% attendance.
As per the government’s fresh order, recruitment tests and exams conducted by various school boards will be allowed.
Meanwhile, of the 2,379 fresh cases registered on Thursday, Patna alone accounted for 1,407. According to the health department, the virus also claimed lives of two more people in the state on Thursday. One of the victims was a 26-year-old woman from Banka village near Deedarganj in Patna district.
Nodal inchaage for Covid-19 at AIIMS-Patna, Dr Sanjeev Kumar, said, “The 25-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday. She underwent an intestinal surgery. The woman later tested positive for Covid and died. Another 85-year-old woman, who was on ventilator support, also died.”
At least 14 more AIIMS-Patna doctors, including head of trauma and emergency unit Dr Anil Kumar, and several paramedics have tested Covid positive. So far, 39 doctors have tested positive at the hospital.
Five more Covid patients were admitted to AIIMS-Patna in the last 24 hours. The hospital had 22 Covid patients on Thursday.
