The number of active cases of Covid-19 infection dropped below 800 on Wednesday in Ranchi, the worst affected district in Jharkhand, while the count of active cases in East Singhbhum jumped to 309, figures compiled by the state health department highlighted.

As many as 237 fresh cases of infection surfaced in the state on Wednesday, while 316 patients recovered, a bulletin released by the National Health Mission (NHM) stated. Ranchi reported 92 fresh cases against 161 recoveries, which brought the total number of active cases in the district to 797. A month ago, there were around 1500 active cases of Covid-19 infection in Ranchi.

Barring Chatra, all districts in Jharkhand reported fresh cases of Covid-19 on the day. However, at least 17 of the 24 districts in Jharkhand reported a single-digit-spike in Covid caseload, government data highlighted. Only three districts – East Singhbhum, Ranchi and Bokaro – had more than 100 active cases after Wednesday’s test results.

The government on Wednesday tested swab samples of 17,593 people and more than 1 per cent of them were found infected. Health workers also collected 15,205 swab samples in 24 hours. As per government data, around 17,000 swab samples were pending for tests in Jharkhand.

While the trajectory of active cases saw a downward trend, fatalities caused by Covid-19 virus continued to haunt Jharkhand on Wednesday. At least three Covid patients – one each in West Singhbhum, Deoghar and Hazaribag – died during treatment in the past 24 hours, taking the Covid toll in the state to 958, the NHM bulletin further stated.

As per government data, the growth rate of Covid-19 in Jharkhand was 0.16 per cent against the national average of 0.42 per cent. The doubling rate of the virus was 440.05 days against the national doubling rate of 167 days. The Covid mortality rate in the state was 0.88 per cent against the national average of 1.50 per cent.

So far, the government has collected swab samples of 39.83 lakh people and tested 39.65 lakh of them. The Covid-19 tally in the state was 1,08,158 and at least 1,05,040 patients have recovered from the infection so far. The Covid recovery rate in the state was 97.11 per cent against the national average of 93.70 per cent, and at least 2,160 people were still battling the viral infection in Jharkhand.