RAIPUR: With six new positive cases traced, the number of COVID-19 infected patients first time touched 3-digit in Chhattisgarh after 59 days of lockdown.
The state reported a total 101 cases so far out of which 42 are active now.
A recent highest single-day spike of 25 new patients on Monday turned the state government apprehensive, fearing a further rise as thousands of migrants from other coronavirus-hit states return to their homes.
Chhattisgarh, which didn’t see any positive case for nine days preceding May 15, saw an abrupt rise in the total number of positive cases, though 59 patients have also been cured till now.
Out of the six new cases found, four are from Rajnandgaon district adjoining to Maharashtra state and one each from districts of Korba and Mungeli, said Dr Akhilesh Triparthi, deputy director (department of health).
"The rise in new COVID-19 patients was expected. The places from where the migrant workers returning are known to have high presence of coronavirus infection cases. There is a possibility of the numbers likely to rise further. We only pray that the figure remains only in three-digit and not into thousands. If the cases continue to spread across the country, it just can’t be prevented in Chhattisgarh," said the state health minister T S Singhdeo and further added that the state has already geared-up to deal with the onset of deadly coronavirus spread.