Itanagar, May 17 (PTI): The COVID-19 caseload in Arunachal Pradesh rose to 21,802, as 180 more people tested positive for the infection, a senior health official said on Monday.
The death toll increased to 81 as three more patients succumbed to the disease, State Surveillance Officer Dr Lobsang Jampa.
"Three women - two from Tawang district and one from Namsai - had tested positive for the disease and later died," he said.
The capital complex region recorded the maximum number of fresh cases at 51, followed by Lohit (21), Changlang (20), Tawang (19) and Lower Subansiri (15). The remaining infections were recorded in several other districts.
Of the fresh cases, 157 were detected through rapid antigen tests, 13 through RT-PCR and 10 through TrueNat method, Jampa said adding, 69 new patients have developed symptoms of the coronavirus infection.
At least 168 more people cured of the disease on Sunday, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 19,461.
The recovery rate among coronavirus patients in the state stands at 89.26 per cent.
Arunachal Pradesh now has 2,260 active cases.
The capital complex region - comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas - has the highest number of active cases at 562, followed by Changlang (190), Lower Dibang Valley (181), Lohit (171), Lower Subansiri (165), Tawang (134), Namsai (128) and West Kameng (112).
Altogether, 5,02,767 samples have been tested for COVID-19, including 2,059 on Sunday, the SSO said.
State Immunisation Officer Dr Dimong Padung said that 3,05,149 people have been inoculated since the beginning of the vaccination programme in January.
The inoculation drive for people in the age group of 18-44 years began on Monday, he said.
The government had on Saturday extended the lockdown in the state capital for another two weeks till May 31, and enforced strict restrictions, including imposition of curfew throughout the state from 3 pm to 5 am, to contain the spread of the virus.
As many as 7,173 cases of COVID protocol violations have been registered in the state and the government has collected over Rs 10.86 lakh as a fine so far, police said.
