Battling deadly coronavirus which is wreaking havoc in the state like other parts of the country during the second surge, the chief minister announced that the state government will provide free treatment to all COVID patients at premier Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS). The state government will bear the cost of treatment along with the expenditure on medicines of such patients at IGIMS, he said in a tweet. 

The chief minister also ordered that ventilators available in all the districts hospitals be made functional, through government efforts or jointly with the private concerns, he said in another message on his twitter handle. Among the 12,672 fresh positive cases, the maximum 2801 was in Patna. Other major COVID-hit districts during this period are: Saran with 617 cases, Rohtas (396), Purnea (389), West Champaran (354) and Vaishali (340). A total of 6067 COVID patients have recovered since Thursday, while altogether 3,00,012 infected have been cured in the state so far. 

Recovery rate went down further to 79.28 per cent Friday. There are 79,419 active cases of the virus in the state at present. Total 1,08,147 samples were tested Friday, while overall more than 2.57 crore clinical examinations have been conducted to detect the disease so far. On the vaccination front, 77,419 citizens got the shots Friday, while Bihar has inoculated 6463259 people so far. The chief minister has already announced free vaccination to people above 18 years from May 1, extending the same benefits that was provided to the citizens under existing categories, both in the government and the listed private hospitals.