Arunachal Pradesh reports 198 new Covid-19 cases; tally at 8,869

At least 198 more people, including 15 security personnel and two healthcare workers, tested positive for Covid-19 in Arunachal Pradesh, raising the northeastern state's caseload to 8,869, a senior health department official said on Sunday.

Barring 25, all new patients are asymptomatic and have been shifted to Covid care centres, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

Of the 198 fresh cases, 87 were reported from the Capital Complex region, 21 from East Siang, 14 from Changlang, 12 from Tawang, 10 each from Kurung Kumey and West Kameng, and seven each from Upper Subansiri, West Siang and Papumpare.

Five cases each were recorded in Longding and Lower Subansiri, four in Lower Siang, three in Tirap, two in Upper Siang and one each in East Kameng, Lower Dibang Valley, Namsai and Kamle, the official said.

For live updates on the coronavirus outbreak, click here

"Fifteen security personnel -- 10 Army men, four Assam Rifles jawans and a state police constable -- are among the new patients," Dr Jampa said.

Ten personnel of the Border Roads Organisation and two healthcare workers have also contracted the disease, he said.

Altogether 167 people were discharged from various hospitals in the state on Saturday, which pushed the total number of recoveries to 6,397.

Arunachal Pradesh currently has 2,458 active Covid-19 cases, while the recovery rate stands at 72.12 per cent. Fourteen have succumbed to the infection.

The Capital Complex region, comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas, has registered the maximum number of active cases at 1,324, followed by Papumpare at 150, West Siang at 128 and Changlang at 122, Dr Jampa said.

As many as 2,38,223 samples have been tested for the infection in the state, including, 2,244 on Saturday, he added.