Nitish Kumar announces Rs 4 lakh ex gratia for 13 COVID-19 deaths in Bihar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Sunday announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of those who died due to COVID-19, as the state reported two fresh coronavirus fatalities, taking the total number to 13.

With state reporting 117 fresh positive cases, the total number of COVID-19 cases increased to 2,511 of which Patna alone constitutes 200 cases.

Expressing grief over the death of 13 people due to coronavirus in the state, Kumar announced that money has been released from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for payment of Rs 4 lakh ex gratia to each of the families, an official release said.

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Of the 13 deceased, the ex-gratia amount has already been given to the next of the kin of a deceased while directions have been given to make payment to the next of the kin of 12 deceased immediately, it said.

Earlier in the day, a 60-year-old man from Siwan died at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH), Patna, from coronavirus while another 48-year-old COVID positive patient from Saran died on Saturday, but the health department informed about the death on Sunday.

"A 60-year-old man from Siwan district died today at NMCH. He was a diabetic with kidney and respiratory problems," NMCH Superintendent Dr N K Sinha told PTI.

The deceased, who belonged to Siwan district, was admitted to NMCH on May 22, Dr Sinha said, adding that he died during the course of treatment at the hospital this morning.

The 48-year old man from Saran, who died on Saturday, was admitted to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on May 22 with fever and cough, PMCH Superintendent Dr Bimal Kumar Karak said.

Though, the deceased's sample was collected on May 22, his test report confirming he being a COVID positive came on Saturday after his death, Karak said.

Of the 13 deaths till date, two each are from Patna, Vaishali and Khagaria while one death each has been reported from Rohtas, Munger, East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Begusarai, Saran and Siwan.

Of the 117 fresh cases reported so far on Sunday, Katihar recorded the highest positive cases of 38, while 11 people each from Banka and Rohtas were tested positive, nine from Begusarai and seven from Purnea were among those who tested positive.

Of the total 2,511 COVID-19 cases, 1,796 are active cases while 702 have recovered and 13 have died.

While giving information during a meeting chaired by Kumar to review the steps being taken by the state government to contain the spread of COVID-19, Health Department Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh said that 1,599 migrant labourers who returned from outside have tested COVID-19 positive in the state since May 3.

Of the 1,599 positive migrant labourers, Delhi constitutes the highest number of positive cases of 392, followed by Maharashtra 362, Gujarat 266, Haryana 128, Singh said.

Till Saturday, 11.72 lakh migrant labourers have returned to Bihar from other states since the beginning of the month by 805 special trains, as per statistics provided by the state government's Information and Public Relations Department Secretary Anupam Kumar.

They are staying at quarantine centres at districts, blocks and panchayat levels for two weeks and those showing symptoms during thermal screening have their samples sent for testing and moved to isolation wards if they test positive.

Around 10.56 lakh people are presently staying at nearly 15,036 block quarantine centres across the state, he said, adding that the number of samples tested till date is 63,741.

With 200 cases, Patna topped the list of positive cases, while Rohtas is second with 165 cases. The other badly affected districts include Munger (146), Begusarai (141), Madhubani (136), Katihar (121), Khagaria (118), Buxar (110), Jehanabad (109).