The active caseload in Ranchi dropped below 3,000 while that in Jharkhand dipped close to the 10,000-mark on Saturday, as the state reported twice as many Covid recoveries as fresh cases of infection on the day, figures compiled by the National Health Mission (NHM) highlighted.

As many as 1,647 Covid patients recovered from the viral infection on Saturday, while 823 residents were found infected, a bulletin from the NHM stated. The positivity rate also dropped below 2 per cent on the day as only 800-odd of the 54,289 people tested for Covid-19 were found infected.

The positivity rate in Jharkhand has dropped below 2 per cent for the first time in the past two months, a health official said, adding that the figures indicate a drop in the transmission rate. Strict lockdown restrictions, he said, played a major role in bringing the positivity rate down in the state.

The growth rate of cases dropped while Covid recovery rate improved in the state on Saturday. However, the mortality rate remained above the national average as 13 more patients died. As per government data, the Covid mortality rate in Jharkhand was 1.47 per cent against the national average of 1.20 per cent. The growth rate in the state was 0.25 per cent against the national growth rate of 0.51 per cent.

Ranchi reported 104 fresh cases of infection against 334 recoveries, which brought the active caseload here down to 2,891 – the highest among the 24 districts in the state. East Singhbhum, as per government data, also reported a triple-digit-spike in cases, but recoveries outnumbered cases there as well. The district reported 245 recoveries against 101 cases and the active caseload dropped to 733.

Ranchi and East Singhbhum jointly accounted for almost half of the 13 casualties on the day. Ranchi reported four deaths, which took the Covid toll there to 1539. East Singhbhum reported three deaths, which took the toll there to 997. All the remaining 22 districts reported less than 100 fresh cases of infection and less than two deaths on the day.

As per government data, over 3.36 lakh people have been infected by Coronavirus in Jharkhand so far and 95.27 per cent of them have recovered. As many as 4,958 patients could not survive the infection, NHM data highlights.

The state on Saturday administered the first dose of vaccine to 30,935 residents and 21,664 of them were in the age bracket of 18 to 44 years. The second jab was administered to 6,317 beneficiaries, mostly those above the age of 45 years on the day.