Nearly A Third Of Bihar's COVID-19 Cases From One Family

Nearly a third of Bihar's 60 coronavirus cases have been reported from one family in Siwan district, a COVID-19 hotspot about 130 km from state capital Patna. The chain of infection started with one man who returned from Oman last month.

The man, who returned to his village - Panjwar in Siwan - on March 16 and tested positive for coronavirus on April 4, had traveled to several parts in the district during this period, according to the officials. 

Twenty-two others in the family including women and children tested positive later; most of them did not show symptoms of the highly contagious disease. Two others in his village have COVID-19, according to the state health department. The district has so far reported 31 coronavirus patients, over half of the state's total cases.

Four of the 23 family members have recovered, officials said, but they will remain under quarantine for two weeks. Test results of 10 others in the family are awaited. 

The cluster, one of the biggest in the state, has prompted the government to take strict measures. Forty-three villages have been sealed in the district.

"We are happy that we have been able to track the patient. This was after all those who returned to the state from any foreign country after March 15 were universally tested," Sanjay Kumar, Principal Health Secretary told NDTV, adding that the "village where these cases have been reported has also been sealed".

"I want to appeal to all the people that this virus is an invisible enemy. It's very important to stay indoors at this time and take precautions," he added.

Bihar has reported 60 cases of COVID-19, including one death, according to the figures released by the state government. Amid rise in the number of cases, the state has also sealed borders of two other districts, apart from Siwan, which have recorded the highest number of cases across the state - Begusarai and Nawada.

#BiharFightsCorona district wise cases in bihar as of 10 am on 10/4/2020.17 addition in number of positive cases in last 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/nTMqlFLzQF

— sanjay kumar (@sanjayjavin) April 10, 2020

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has appealed to all those who have recently returned from any foreign country to come forward and get tested for COVID-19, even if they do not have symptoms. He has also urged people not to hide their travel history.

The developments come at a time when the nation is under a 21-day lockdown to control the spread of the illness, which has been spreading fast across the world. More than 1.6 million have contracted the infection worlwide, nearly 95,000 have died.

Across India, more than 6,400 cases of coronavirus, which originated in China's Wuhan city, have been reported; at least 199 people have died.