Jharkhand began the New Year with a four-digit spike in Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, recording 1,007 cases with an infection rate much higher than the previous two waves of the pandemic.

According to a state health department bulletin issued on Saturday midnight, Ranchi logged 495 new cases, the state capital continuing to record a spike in triple digits. East Singbhum and Dhanbad district recorded three-figure increases with 123 and 113 cases, respectively, during the last 24 hours.

Other districts recording high single-day infections were West Singhbhum (53), Koderma (47) and 43 each in Hazaribagh and Koderma.

According to health officials, a four-digit increase in cases on a single day was last recorded in May 2021 amid the peak of the second wave. However, experts apprehend that the rate of infection is likely to be much higher this time than the earlier waves, considering the speed at which cases are growing. In the last one week, cases in Jharkhand have grown by about 15 times.

On December 27, 2021, only 38 fresh cases were recorded in the state. This number crossed the 1,000-mark in a single day on January 1, 2022.

As for vaccinations, Jharkhand is unlikely to achieve its target of 100 per cent coverage by January 15, 2022, going by the pace of administering jabs since the beginning of a month-long drive on December 16, 2021. Of the 2.41 crore eligible beneficiaries in the adult population (18 plus), 77 per cent have received the first dose so far. The second dose coverage stands at 47%. Of the 24 districts, 19 are in red-category as second dose coverage is below 50 per cent of the total identified target.

The state government is also gearing to up begin vaccinating those in the 15-18 years age group from January 3 as a part of the nationwide plan. “A population of about 23.98 lakh is estimated to be eligible for vaccinations in this age group. Districts are working with school managements to set up camps from January 3 onwards,” said an official of the health department.