5 Bihar Military Police personnel test positive for COVID-19; count rises to 579

Five Bihar Military Police (BMP) personnel have tested positive for novel coronavirus, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 579, a top health official said. All the fresh cases are from Khajpura area of Patna and their infection trail is being ascertained, Health Department Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar said. Kumar tweeted late on Friday evening, "5 more COVID-19 positive cases in Bihar taking the total to 579.

5-males 30,36,50,52 and 57 years from Khajpura Patna. All are BMP jawans. We are ascertaining their further infection trail." Coronavirus has spread to 36 of the 38 districts in the state, officials said. Five patients have died so far and 307 people are still afflicted with the disease, while 267 have recovered, they said. One death each was reported in Rohtas, Munger, Vaishali, East Champaran and Sitamarhi districts.

All the deceased were males and barring one, every one of them was below 60 years of age and with pre-existing medical conditions, the officials said. The highest number of novel coronavirus cases has been reported in Munger district (102), followed by 56 in Buxar, 54 in Rohtas and 46 in Patna, they said. A total of 32,767 samples have been tested so far at seven facilities in Patna, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga, the officials added.