Arunachal Pradesh reports 480 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths

ITANAGAR: At least 480 more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Arunachal Pradesh, taking the tally in the state to 45,188, a health department official said on Saturday.

The death toll rose to 212 after four more persons from Tawang, Lohit, Changlang and Upper Subansiri districts succumbed to the infection in the last 24 hours, State Surveillance Officer Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

All the four patients died while undergoing treatment at various health facilities of the state, and they had comorbidities, he said.

The Capital Complex Region registered the highest number of fresh cases at 119, followed by Lower Subansiri (44), East Siang (37), Papumpare (35), Tawang (34), West Kameng (31), Lohit (25), Upper Subansiri (23), Lower Siang and Leparada (17 each), the official said.

Among the new patients, 446 were detected through rapid antigen tests, 14 through RT-PCR and 20 through TrueNat methods, the SSO said, adding that 201 people have symptoms of COVID-19.

At least 517 patients were cured of the disease on Friday, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 40,619, Jampa said.

The recovery rate among coronavirus patients in the state stands at 89.89 per cent.

Arunachal Pradesh now has 4,357 active cases, he said.

The Capital Complex Region - comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas - has the highest number of active cases at 1,118, followed by Papumpare (319), Lohit (315), Lower Subansiri (311), West Kameng (264) and East Siang (245).

Altogether, 8,91,205 samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the state so far, including 6,921 on Friday, and the positivity ratio stands at 6.93 per cent, Jampa said.

State Immunisation Officer Dr Dimong Padung said 8,16,196 people have been administered COVID vaccines so far since the beginning of the inoculation drive in January.

Meanwhile, the state government has decided to extend curfew hours in nine districts that have recorded coronavirus positivity rates of more than 10 per cent in the last week.

The timing of curfew in Kurung Kumey, the Capital Complex Region, Tawang, Kamle, Lohit, Siang, Longding, Kra Daadi and Dibang Valley has been extended from 3 pm to 5 am, which will come into force from July 25.