<p>Even though Bihar recorded 3,469 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, a record of sorts in this calendar year, the State’s Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Sunday said the situation was not alarming and there was no need for a lockdown in Bihar.</p>.<p>“The spike in coronavirus cases in Bihar is due to increase in testing. We are ramping up testing further,” said the Health Minister, adding that the State Government had increased beds at AIIMS, Patna, and other hospitals, including Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) for Covid-19 patients.</p>.<p>“Altogether 95,112 tests were done on Saturday. Out of which 3,469 persons were found to be positive. This was much more than the peak of last year on August 6, 2020 when 3416 had tested Covid-19 positive,” said a senior Government official.</p>.<p>Reports suggest the spike in cases is due to a consistent flow of thousands of migrants returning to their home state, Bihar, from Maharashtra, through different trains. “Altogether 33 passengers, coming from Mumbai, tested positive in the last 24 hours after they were examined once they reached Patna junction,” the source added.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/covid-coronavirus-news-today-live-covid-19-india-cases-deaths-second-wave-maharashtra-karnataka-mumbai-bengaluru-kerala-lockdown-curfew-rules-corona-disease-973038.html" target="_blank"><b>Follow live coronavirus updates here</b></a></p>.<p>Meanwhile, Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan has convened an all-party meeting on April 17 to take stock of the Covid-19 situation.</p>.<p>In the meantime, the Bihar Government, which has already ordered closure of all schools, colleges, and coaching institutes till April 18, and asked all business and commercial establishments to shut down after 7 pm, on Sunday clarified that restaurants and other eateries would be exempt from this order, provided the guests follow all the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and other guidelines.</p>.<p>“Only 50 per cent customers would be allowed in any hotel, while there is no restriction in takeaway food. In private organisations, only 33 per cent of the total strength of the staff would be allowed to work in the office,” the official added.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, in the last 24 hours, six more persons have died in the state due to Covid-19, taking the death toll to 1,604 so far.</p>
<p>Even though Bihar recorded 3,469 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, a record of sorts in this calendar year, the State’s Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Sunday said the situation was not alarming and there was no need for a lockdown in Bihar.</p>.<p>“The spike in coronavirus cases in Bihar is due to increase in testing. We are ramping up testing further,” said the Health Minister, adding that the State Government had increased beds at AIIMS, Patna, and other hospitals, including Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) for Covid-19 patients.</p>.<p>“Altogether 95,112 tests were done on Saturday. Out of which 3,469 persons were found to be positive. This was much more than the peak of last year on August 6, 2020 when 3416 had tested Covid-19 positive,” said a senior Government official.</p>.<p>Reports suggest the spike in cases is due to a consistent flow of thousands of migrants returning to their home state, Bihar, from Maharashtra, through different trains. “Altogether 33 passengers, coming from Mumbai, tested positive in the last 24 hours after they were examined once they reached Patna junction,” the source added.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/covid-coronavirus-news-today-live-covid-19-india-cases-deaths-second-wave-maharashtra-karnataka-mumbai-bengaluru-kerala-lockdown-curfew-rules-corona-disease-973038.html" target="_blank"><b>Follow live coronavirus updates here</b></a></p>.<p>Meanwhile, Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan has convened an all-party meeting on April 17 to take stock of the Covid-19 situation.</p>.<p>In the meantime, the Bihar Government, which has already ordered closure of all schools, colleges, and coaching institutes till April 18, and asked all business and commercial establishments to shut down after 7 pm, on Sunday clarified that restaurants and other eateries would be exempt from this order, provided the guests follow all the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and other guidelines.</p>.<p>“Only 50 per cent customers would be allowed in any hotel, while there is no restriction in takeaway food. In private organisations, only 33 per cent of the total strength of the staff would be allowed to work in the office,” the official added.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, in the last 24 hours, six more persons have died in the state due to Covid-19, taking the death toll to 1,604 so far.</p>