1 death, 33 new cases in Himachal

SHIMLA/DHARAMSHALA: Thirtythree people tested positive for Covid-19 in Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday, taking the state’s tally to 1,664.

Thirteen cases have been reported in Sirmaur district, seven each in Kangra and Solan, three in Shimla, two in Hamirpur and one in Kullu.

Siramaur deputy commissioner RK Pruthi said 12 people tested positive in Govindgarh locality of Nahan town, the administrative headquarters of the district. Govindgarh has emerged as a new Covid-19 hotspot with 70 people from the locality testing positive for the virus in less than a week. Pruthi said 51 samples from the locality had been sent for testing, of which 41 returned negative.

Two children aged two and eight, five women and three men were found infected, he said. Apart from it, one person has tested in Shillai area.

Three members of a family and an army jawan are among seven new cases in Kangra district.

Deputy commissioner Rakesh Kumar Prajapati said a 38-yearold man, his 32-year-old wife and son aged eight have tested positive. They were primary contacts of a Covid-19 patient and have been shifted to Covid-care centre Bainjath.

An army jawan, 33, with travel history to Nagaland has also contracted the disease. He was home quarantined and has been shifted to Military Hospital, Yol.

The remaining three patients also have a travel history to Maharashtra, Delhi and Uttarakhand.

In Solan, seven people have tested positive in Nalagarh area. The patients are workers of a textile company. One case has been detected in Manali of Kullu district where a girl tested positive.

Active cases in the state have jumped to 561 while 1,068 have been cured.

Three cases were reported in Shimla and two in Hamirpur late evening.

75-YEAR-OLD WOMAN DIES, DEATH TOLL 10

A 75-year-old woman from Sarkaghat sub division of Mandi district succumbed to Covid-19 at Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Nerchowk, on Tuesday, taking Himachal Pradesh’s coronavirus toll to 10.

Nodal officer Dr Jeevanand Chauhan said that the woman was diabetic and suffering from renal failure. She tested positive on July 16 and had a travel history to Chandigarh.

“Her condition was unstable for the past two days and she passed away early on Tuesday,” Dr Chauhan said.

The woman’s 44-year-old daughter-in-law is also under treatment for Covid-19.