176 new cases push Arunachal''s COVID-19 tally to 6,298

Itanagar, September 15 (PTI): The COVID-19 tally in Arunachal Pradesh rose to 6,298 as 176 more people, including nine security personnel, have tested positive for the disease, an official said on Tuesday.

The death toll rose to 11 in the northeastern state after a 50-year-old man, who was working at a primary health centre near here, succumbed to the infection, State Surveillance Officer Dr L Jampa said.

"The man had tested positive for the disease on September 3 and was in home isolation. He was admitted to the Tezpur Medical College in Assam on September 6 after his health condition worsened. He died on September 11. He was suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome," he said.

Of the fresh cases, 83 were reported from the Capital Complex region, 20 from Changlang, 10 each from East Siang and West Kameng, nine from Lower Subansiri, seven from Papumpare and six each from West Siang and Lower Siang districts.

Five new cases each were also reported from Tawang and Lower Dibang Valley, three from Longding, two each from Pakke Kessang, Tirap, Upper Siang and Leparada and one each from Siang, Upper Subansiri, Lohit and East Kameng, he said.

"Five Assam Rifles personnel, one Indian Reserve Battalion jawan, an employee of Indo Tibetan Border Police and two state policemen are among the fresh patients," the official said.

Six Border Roads Organisation (BRO) personnel and a healthcare worker were also diagnosed with the disease, Jampa said, adding that 17 prisoners tested positive for the infection.

The new patients have been shifted to COVID Care Centres, he said.

At least 156 people were cured of the disease and discharged from hospitals on Monday, taking the number of recoveries to 4,531 in the state, he said.

The recovery rate among COVID-19 patients in the state now stands at 71.95 per cent.

Arunachal Pradesh has 1,756 active COVID-19 cases at present, Jampa said.

The Capital Complex region, comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas, has the highest number of active cases at 486, followed by West Siang at 192, Papumpare at 173, East Siang at 152, and Changland at 116, he said.

The state has so far tested over 2.08 lakh samples for COVID-19, including, 2,645 on Monday, the official added.