While the number of people battling the Covid-19 infection in Jharkhand dropped below 2000 by the end of Tuesday, at least five more patients died of the lethal infection across the state on the day, taking the Covid toll up at 969, figures compiled by the health department highlighted.

As many as 181 fresh cases of infection, including 81 from Ranchi alone, surfaced in Jharkhand on the day, while at least 227 patients recovered from the infection. As per a bulletin released by the National Health Mission (NHM), as many as 1,965 people were battling the virus across the state.

At least three districts – Sabhegbanj, Pakur and Khunti – did not report even a single case of Covid-19 infection on Tuesday. However, at least 18 cases surfaced in East Singhbhum and 14 in West Singhbhum in the past 24 hours. Barring Ranchi, East Singhbhum and West Singhbhum, no other district reported a double-digit-spike in Covid cases on the day, stated the NHM bulletin.

As per government data, at least two people died of Covid-19 in Bokaro on the day, while East Singhbhum, Dhanbad and Saraikela reported one death each. East Singhbhum has so far reported 352 Covid fatalities, while 195 Covid patients have died in Ranchi. These two districts account for more than 50 per cent of the total Covid casualties in Jharkhand.

The number of active cases dropped in Ranchi as well as East Singhbhum as both the districts reported more recoveries than fresh cases. At least 29 patients recovered in East Singbhum against 18 fresh cases, while 93 patients recovered against 81 fresh cases in Ranchi on Tuesday, government data stated.

As per government records, these two districts also account for more than half of the active cases of Covid-19 infection in Jharkhand. At least 726 people were battling the viral infection in Ranchi and 295 people were infected in East Singhbhum.

The government on Tuesday tested swab samples of 27,307 people and less than 1 per cent of them were found infected. So far, health workers in the state have collected swab samples of 42.33 lakh people and tested 42.15 lakh of them. While 1,09,332 people were found infected in the state, at least 1,06,398 of them have recovered, highlights government data. The government puts the Covid recovery rate in Jharkhand at 97.31 per cent.

The growth rate of Covid-19 infection in Jharkhand also dropped to 0.15 per cent on Tuesday against the national average of 0.37 per cent. The doubling rate of the virus in Jharkhand was 449.42 days, while the national doubling rate of Covid-19 infection was 188.05 days, reveals the NHM bulletin. The Covid mortality rate in Jharkhand was 0.88 per cent against the national average of 1.50 per cent.