Himachal Pradesh’s active Covid-19 caseload has witnessed a five-fold rise in the past 10 days, Health Department data showed. The number of active cases increased from 2,793 on January 8 to 14,918 on January 19.
A government spokesperson told The Indian Express that the number of hospital admissions had also risen with the bed occupancy going up nearly five times in a 10-day period.
He added that Covid-19 patients occupied 51 beds on January 8. Of these, 31 patients were on oxygen support and three required ventilators. As on January 19, 249 patients required hospital admission. The spokesperson said 132 of these 249 patients needed oxygen support, while two were on ventilators.
Of the total patients admitted in hospitals in the state, 0.9% required ICU or ventilators, he said.
The spokesperson said the coronavirus’ Omicron variant had started spreading in the community, adding that there were 15 such cases in Himachal Pradesh. He said the Omicron variant was reported only among international travellers at the initial stages. However, the variant is now being reported from the community as well.
On Thursday, Himachal Pradesh reported seven deaths from Covid-19, pushing the state’s toll to 3,899. It recorded 2,368 fresh cases to take its tally to 254,410, a Health Department official said.
The official told The Indian Express that seven men between 56 and 88 years succumbed to the virus, adding that Kangra district reported three deaths, Shimla two, while Una and Mandi recorded one death each.
Nine of the state’s 12 districts reported 110 to 402 fresh cases, the official said.
Sirmaur reported 402 cases, followed by Kangra with 371, Mandi with 329, Shimla with 229, Hamirpur with 227, Kullu with 137, Una with 131, Bilaspur with 110, Chamba with 64, Kinnaur with 20, and Lahaul-Spiti with 10.
The state’s active Covid-19 cases climbed to 15,618 from 14,918 on Wednesday.
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