Ranchi has continued to report a spike in the active caseload of Covid-19 ahead of Diwali and Chhath even though the overall count of active cases dropped in Jharkhand, figures compiled by the health department highlighted on Tuesday.

While the active Covid caseload in Jharkhand dropped from 106 on Saturday to 97 on Tuesday, the count of active Covid cases in Ranchi more than doubled during this period, records with the National Health Mission (NHM) revealed. The active caseload in Ranchi jumped from 20 on Saturday to 43 on Tuesday morning, rising by more than 100 per cent.

Government data shows that Ranchi reported five fresh Covid cases against only one recovery on Monday and 10 Covid cases against zero recoveries on Sunday. On Saturday, the district reported nine fresh cases of coronavirus infection against one Covid recovery.

As per Covid data available on Tuesday morning, Ranchi alone accounted for almost 45 per cent of the total active Covid cases in the state, and was the only Jharkhand district to report a continuous rise in the active caseload.

Experts said that the rise in Covid cases in Ranchi could be attributed to the fact that this district has the highest inflow of interstate passengers. The city also has a good number of bars, malls and restaurants, which have witnessed a sudden rush in the festive season.

“I think we need to be careful during Diwali, Chhath and other upcoming festivals. It is best to follow all the Covid protocols and maintain social distancing during festivities,” said Dr. Ajay Kumar Singh, the coordinator of Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Jharkhand.

Amid the rise in Covid-19 cases, violation of Covid protocol by residents has also become common. Many people travelling in autorickshaws and buses gave wearing facemasks a miss, while overcrowding in public transports was also common.

As per government records, Ranchi has been the worst-affected district in Jharkhand in terms of Covid cases and fatalities. The district alone has reported 86,106 of the 3.48 lakh cases and 1,585 of the 5,138 Covid deaths in Jharkhand.