3 paramilitary personnel, two army jawans among 36 test positive in HP

14 WORKERS OF A TEXTILE UNIT INFECTED IN SOLAN; IN UNA, TWO POLICE PERSONNEL AND A HOME GUARD ARE AMONG FIVE CASES

DHARAMSHALA:: Thirty-six people, including three paramilitary personnel and two army jawans, tested positive for Covid-19 in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday, taking the state’s tally to 1,377, officials said.

Eighteen cases have been reported in Solan, five each in Kangra district and Una, three in Mandi, two in Hamirpur and one each in Shimla and Sirmaur.

Kangra deputy commissioner Rakesh Kumar Prajapati said 51-year-old paramilitary personnel from Vaidi village near Kangra has tested positive for the virus. He had returned from Chennai on July 9. Another 20-year-old paramilitary personnel from Tiara village of Shahpur sub-division has contracted the contagion. He returned from Leh on July 7.

A 35-year-old from Bassa Gudyala village of Nurpur is the third paramilitary jawan to have tested positive. He came from Arunachal Pradesh on July 5.

Besides, a 39-year-old army jawan from Paniyal village of Dehra sub-division, having travel history to Nagaland has tested positive.

The fifth patient in Kangra is a 45-year-old man from Raja-KaBagh area. He is the primary contact of a Covid-19 patient.

An 18-year-old youth from Takoli village in Mandi is among two cases in the district. He came back from Delhi on July 8 and was institutionally quarantined. A 37-year-old man, who returned from Jammu and Kashmir has also tested positive in the district. One more case was detected in the district late evening.

In Shimla, a taxi driver from Delhi has tested positive. He ferried a delegation of four people who were to meet chief minister Jai Ram Thakur. The driver has been shifted to Covid-care centre and his contact history is being traced. People who travelled with him have been quarantined.

Eighteen fresh cases were reported in Solan late evening of which 14 are workers of a textiles unit. Three more factory workers have tested positive for the virus.

In Una, two police personnel and a home guard are among five cases. An army jawan also tested positive in Sirmaur district. Two cases have been reported in Hamirpur district.

Special secretary (health) Nipun Jindal said active cases have gone upto 382 while 971 patients have been cured till date. The recovery rate in the state is 70.5%.

Kangra is the worst-hit district with 319 cases, followed by Solan with 286 cases. Hamirpur has 278 cases, Una 151, Chamba 71, Shimla 63, Bilaspur 63, Sirmaur 48, Mandi 44, Kinnaur 36, Kullu 14 and Lahaul-Spiti district four.