Ten-fold rise in active Covid-19 cases in Bihar; no need to panic, says expert

Patna: Bihar has witnessed a more than ten-fold rise in active COVID-19 cases, since last weekend, according to figures released by the state health department. The state, which had zero active cases till Sunday, now has 14, with Gaya accounting for 12 of these. Notably, Gaya is witnessing an influx of pilgrims from abroad who are heading for Bodh Gaya, less than 20 km away, to attend the discourses of the Dalai Lama.

The Tibetan spiritual leader is in Bihar after a gap of two years. On Monday, the international Buddhist pilgrimage centre had reported five COVID-19 cases, all of them foreign nationals.

In addition, one person each has tested positive for coronavirus in Darbhanga and Patna. Meanwhile, Dr Gopal Krushna Pal, the Executive Director of AIIMS, Patna, said in a statement "there is no need to panic over rumours of an impending fourth wave. Though it would be prudent if people avoided going to crowded places and wore masks while venturing out".

He asserted that the hospital was well prepared and ventilators and oxygen concentrators were found to be working fine in a mock drill that was conducted on Tuesday as part of a nation-wide exercise.