Arunachal Pradesh reports 169 new COVID-19 cases, one casualty

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The COVID-19 caseload in Arunachal Pradesh rose to 19,802 as the State reported 169 fresh cases, including three Army men. Meanwhile, one more person succumbed to the infection on Thursday taking the number of fatalities in the State to 60. On the other hand, 132 people were cured of the disease on Friday, taking the total number of recoveries in the State to 17,849. The recovery rate among Coronavirus patients stands at 90.14 per cent while the active percentage stands at 9.56. The State now has 1,893 active cases, said State Surveillance Officer Dr Lobsang Jampa here on Saturday. The Capital Complex region recorded the maximum number of fresh cases at 38, followed by Lower Dibang Valley (26), Lower Subansiri and Upper Subansiri at 16 each, Namsai (14), Changlang (11) and West Kameng (10).

A total of eight fresh cases were also reported in Papumpare, six in Tawang, Lohit (5), East Siang (4), three each in Upper Siang, Dibang Valley, Tirap and Lower Siang, West Siang (2) and Leparada (1).

Of the new cases, 140 were detected through rapid antigen tests, 5 through RT-PCR and 24 through TrueNat method. Barring 55, all the fresh cases are asymptomatic.

The new casualty -- 50-year-old COVID-positive woman referred from District Hospital Roing in Lower Dibang valley -- died at the Dedicated COVID Hospital at Pasighat in East Siang district on May 6. She was suffering from diabetes mellitus and died due to severe pneumonia, said Dr Jampa said.

The Capital Complex Region -- comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas -- has the highest number of active cases at 542, followed by Lower Dibang Valley (299), West Kameng (139), Papumpare (129) and Lower Subansiri at 119.

To contain the pandemic, the State government on Saturday imposed night curfew in the entire State from 6:30 pm to 5 am till May 31.

Altogether, 4,77,466 samples have been tested for COVID-19, including 3,152 on Friday, added the SSO.

Meanwhile, the government has deferred the roll-out of the immunisation drive for those in the age group of 18 to 44 years from May 1, as the State was facing some ''technical issues'', he said.

Altogether 2,80,882 people have been inoculated since the beginning of the vaccination programme in January, informed State Immunisation Officer Dr Dimong Padung.

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