COVID-19: Highest single-day spike of 3,040 cases in HP; educational institutions closed till May 10

SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh on Thursday recorded the highest single-day spike of 3,040 fresh COVID-19 cases and 40 deaths as the state government extended the closure of all educational institutions till May 10 to prevent the spread of the infection.

Special Health Secretary Nipun Jindal said the death toll in the state due to COVID-19 stands at 1,447 and the tally at 96,929. “The latest deaths include a 23-day-old baby boy in Shimla,” he said. Of the latest fatalities, 17 were reported from Kangra, eight from Shimla, five from Mandi, three each from Solan and Bilaspur and two each from Chamba and Sirmaur, he said.

There are 17,835 active cases in the state, the official stated, adding that eight of the total 12 districts have over 1,000 active cases. Kangra has the highest number of active cases at 4,410 followed by Solan (2,934), Shimla (1,896), Mandi (1,729), Sirmaur (1,707), Hamirpur (1,389), Una (1,130) and Bilaspur (1,029), he added. Besides Kullu has 609 active cases, Chamba (568), Lahaul-Spiti (296) and Kinnaur (138), he added.

As many as 1,241 coronavirus patients have recuperated from the infection in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 77,576, Jindal said. Meanwhile Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur announced that all educational institutions in the state will remain closed till May 10 in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases.

Earlier, the government had ordered their closure till May 1. He also said that only 20 people will be allowed to take part in marriage rites and that the wedding feast, popularly known as "dham" in the state, is banned to check the spread of the virus.

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