While the active caseload of Covid-19 dropped below the 50,000-mark on Thursday, the state continued to report a triple-digit-spike in casualties despite the fall in the positivity rate, figures compiled by the health department highlighted.
As per a bulletin released by the National Health Mission (NHM), Jharkhand reported at least 6882 Covid recoveries against 4991 fresh cases on Thursday, causing a fall in the active caseload. As many as 48,468 state residents were battling the viral infection by the end of Thursday, the bulletin further stated. The active caseload has dropped from over 60,000 to less than 50,000 in the past fortnight.
However, at least 109 Covid patients, including 40 from Ranchi and 16 from East Singhbhum, died during treatment on the day, taking the Covid toll in the state up at 4290, NHM data highlighted. Bokaro also reported 10 Covid fatalities on Thursday. As per government data, Jharkhand has a Covid mortality rate of 1.40 per cent, which is higher than the national average of 1.10 per cent.
The active caseload also dropped significantly in Ranchi and East Singhbhum, two of the worst-affected districts in terms of caseload and fatalities. At least 1765 Covid patients recovered in Ranchi on Thursday against 605 fresh cases, bringing the active caseload here down to 13,731. However, the 40 casualties on Thursday took the Covid toll in Ranchi to 1346 on the day.
As per NHM data, East Singhbhum reported 923 Covid recoveries against 579 fresh cases on the day and the active caseload there dropped to 4,490. The 16 deaths reported in the district on the day took the Covid toll there to 875. As per government data, Ranchi and East Singhbhum jointly account for almost 50 per cent of the active cases in Jharkhand.
Palamu reported the highest spike in Covid cases on the day among Jharkhand districts. At least 932 people were found infected in Palamu on Thursday while 450 patients recovered there. Bokaro reported 272 Covid cases against 667 recoveries, while Dhanbad reported 175 cases against 173 recoveries.
The state on Thursday tested swab samples of 59,078 residents and less than 10 per cent of them were found infected. As per government data, over 3 lakh state residents have been infected by the mysterious virus so far and more than 82 per cent of them have recovered.
The growth rate of Covid cases in Jharkhand was 1.49 per cent against the national average of 1.11 per cent, while the doubling rate in the state was 46.75 days against the national average of 62.67 days, highlighted the NHM bulletin.
The state administered the first dose of vaccine against Covid-19 to 9428 residents on the day, while the second jab was administered to more than 14,000 beneficiaries, stated a separate report from NHM.