As many as seven patients undergoing treatment for Covid-19 in six districts of Jharkhand died on Sunday, the highest in a single day so far, health officials said.

Two Covid casualties were reported from capital Ranchi and one each from Dhanbad, East Singhbhum, Deoghar, Koderma and Godda between Saturday night and Sunday 10pm, data released by the National Health Mission (NHM) stated.

Sunday’s developments take the total count of Covid casualties in Jharkhand to 31. As many as 15 of the 31 deaths, nearly 50 per cent, were reported in the month of July, government data revealed.

Jharkhand's Covid-19 recovery rate too has dropped below the national average barely a fortnight after the state achieved the fourth highest recovery rate in India. As per government data shared on Sunday, Jharkhand's recovery rate is 61.38 per cent against the national average of 62.92 per cent.

While the death toll witnessed a steep rise on Sunday, 73 individuals tested positive for the coronavirus, taking the total count of Covid cases in the state to 3,760, the NHM bulletin stated. As many as 45 Covid patients recovered on Sunday and were discharged from hospitals.

With seven deaths reported in a day, Jharkhand's Covid-19 mortality rate reached 0.82 per cent on Sunday. The national Covid mortality rate, as per government data, is 2.66 per cent.

The state government has so far collected samples of 1.86 lakh suspects and tested 1.80 lakh of them. Last week, health workers collected swab samples of chief minister Hemant Soren and 23 others from his residence in Ranchi. None of them tested positive, officials said.

So far, a cabinet minister, a legislator, an ex-legislator and several policemen have tested positive for Covid-19 in state.

On Tuesday, state drinking water and sanitation minister Mithilesh Thakur tested positive for Covid-19, triggering panic among officials and other politicians who had come in contact with him. Ruling JMM's Tundi legislator Mathura Mahto also tested positive on the same day. A former MLA Shivpujan Mehta tested positive for Covid-19 the next day.