Arunachal Pradesh’s Covid-19 tally crosses 6,000-mark

Itanagar: The Covid-19 caseload in Arunachal Pradesh crossed the 6000-mark with 146 fresh cases reported in the northeastern state, a senior Health department official said on Monday.

With the fresh cases, the total virus count in the state rose to 6,121, the official said.

Arunachal Pradesh Health and Family Welfare Minister Alo Libang has also tested positive for Covid-19, State Surveillance Officer Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

Of the fresh 146 cases, Capital Complex region reported the highest number at 71, followed by 16 in Lower Dibang Valley, seven cases each in Changlang and Longding, six each in East Siang, Lower Siang and Lower Subansiri and five each in Papumpare and Lohit, the official said.

Four cases were also reported in Tawang, three each from Dibang Valley and Upper Siang, two each in West Kameng and West Siang and one each case in Pakke Kessang, East Kameng and Anjaw districts respectively, Jampa said.

An official of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) from Lower Dibang Valley had also contracted the infection.

Barring eight, all are asymptomatic and shifted to Covid-19 care centres, the official said.

Taking to twitter the Health and Family Welfare minister informed about his virus infection on Sunday.

“Today I was tested positive for COVID. I am asymptomatic and following all the necessary instruction advised by doctors. Therefore, I request each and everyone who came in contact with me in the past few days, to isolate themselves, get themselves tested and follow as per SOPs, Libang tweeted.

The health minister is the sixth legislator from Arunachal Pradesh to test positive for Covid-19 after Education Minister Taba Tedir, state BJP President Biyuram Wahge, State BJP general secretary Zingnu Namchoom have tested positive for the virus.

The other two lawmakers to test Covid-19 positive are Jummon Ete Deori and Wangdi Kharma.

As many as 123 more people were cured of the disease and discharged from hospitals on Sunday, Jampa said.

The recovery rate among the Covid-19 patients in the state now stands at 71.54 per cent, he said.

Arunachal Pradesh now has 1,732 active COVID-19 cases, while 4,379 people have recovered from the disease and 10 patients have succumbed to the infection, Jampa said.

The Capital Complex region, comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas, has the highest number of active cases at 435, the official said.

The state has so far tested 2,05,519 samples for Covid-19, including 2,163 on Sunday, Jampa added.