Arunachal's COVID tally rises to 4,914; New patients: 139

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh's COVID-19 tally inched closer to the 5,000-mark on Sunday as 139 more persons, including 20 security personnel, tested positive for the infection. The fresh infections have taken the State's caseload to 4,914.

Arunachal Pradesh now has 1,525 active COVID-19 cases. While 3,381 people have recovered from the disease, eight patients have succumbed to the infection so far. The Capital Complex region reported the highest number of new cases at 58, followed by 13 in West Siang district. Barring 16, all the new patients are asymptomatic and they have been shifted to COVID-19 care centers. State Surveillance Officer Dr L Jampa informed, "Among the new patients are six personnel of the Army, nine of the Assam Rifles, three of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and two policemen.

"Meanwhile, 101 more COVID-19 patients have been cured of the disease and discharged from hospitals. The recovery rate among the Covid-19 patients in the state now stands at 68.80 per cent."

The Capital Complex region — comprising the areas of Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa — has the highest number of active cases at 293, followed by West Siang district (189), East Siang (143), West Kameng (138) and Papumpare and Changlang (120 each). The State has so far tested 1,83,390 samples for Covid-19, including 3,017 on Saturday, he added.

Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker Passang Dorjee Sona has urged the legislators to undergo Covid-19 tests. His appeal came after Education Minister Taba Tedir contracted the disease on Friday.

A rapid antigen testing facility will be set up on the Assembly premises on September 8 for the lawmakers, Sona said in a communiqué. "The testing facility is being arranged in view of the spike in the number of COVID-19 cases across the State and to ensure the safety of the Assembly members who being public leaders have to frequently come in contact with the people," the speaker said.

Till date, besides Tedir two other lawmakers — Lekang MLA Jummum Ete Deori and Kalaktang legislator Dorjee Wangdi Kharma— have tested positive for COVID-19.

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