The count of Covid-19 recoveries in Jharkhand crossed the 50,000 mark on Wednesday as at least 1607 Covid patients, including nearly 700 in Ranchi alone, overcame the viral infection in 24 hours, data released by the health department on Wednesday night stated.

Wednesday’s test results also took Jharkhand’s Covid recovery rate above the national average of 77.70 per cent as the number of recovered patients jumped to 51,357 against the tally of 66,074, a bulletin released by the National Health Mission (NHM) highlighted. The recovery rate in the state, as per government figures, had dropped to as low as 45 per cent by the end of July.

Despite high recovery figures, the count of fresh Covid cases outnumbered the recoveries on Wednesday, causing a minor rise in the number of active cases in Jharkhand. As per the NHM bulletin, as many as 1618 cases of infection surfaced in Jharkhand on Wednesday, taking the number of active cases to 14,138.

However, the number of active cases of infection reduced in Ranchi, the worst-affected district in the state, on Wednesday. As many as 342 fresh cases surfaced in Ranchi against 694 recoveries. Meanwhile, East Singbhum reported a major spike in the count of active cases as only 80 patients recovered from the infection there against 401 cases on Wednesday. As per government data, at least 3,171 people were battling the infection in Ranchi, while 3,021 patients were yet to recover in East Singhbhum.

The Covid toll in Jharkhand rose to 579 on Wednesday after eight patients, including four from East Singhbhum and two from Ranchi, died during treatment, the NHM bulletin stated. Lohardaga and Pakur reported one death each on the day. The Covid mortality rate in the state, as per government data, was 0.87 per cent against the national average of 1.70 per cent.

Health workers across Jharkhand tested swab samples of 55,761 people on Wednesday and 54,143 of came negative. So far, the government has collected swab samples of 1.55 lakh people and tested 1.53 lakh of them. Out of the 66,074 people infected by the virus in Jharkhand so far, 51,357 have recovered, highlights government data.

A majority of the Covid victims in Jharkhand, as per health officials, were already suffering from comorbid conditions, and most of them were above the age of 50 years. As per government data, at least 420 of the 579 Covid victims in the state were older than 50 years.