PATNA: Bihar has reported 180 new cases of COVID-19 from 15 districts, pushing the tally to 2,574 in the state, the health department said.
Of the fresh cases, Nawada and East Champaran accounted for 11 each and the state capital Patna recorded four new infections, it said.
The health department, in a tweet late on Sunday evening, said, "63 more COVID-19 +ve cases in Bihar taking the total to 2,57. We are ascertaining their trail of infection".
Earlier on Sunday, the state had registered 117 new positive cases and two fatalities due to the contagion, taking the death toll to 13.
A 60-year-old man from Siwan died at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH), Patna, while another 48-year-old COVID-19 positive patient from Saran passed away on Saturday, but the health department informed about the death on Sunday.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of those who died due to COVID-19.
The state now has 1,859 active cases, while 702 patients have recovered from the disease and been discharged from hospitals, the bulletin said.
Patna tops the state's COVID-19 list with 200 cases followed by Rohtas at 165.
Migrant labourers, who started returning to Bihar from the first week of May, constitute 62 per cent of the total confirmed cases in the state, the bulletin added.
Meanwhile, as domestic air travel resumed in India on Monday after a gap of two months, the first flight arrived at the Patna airport from Delhi around 7.30 am, an official said.
Another flight from Mumbai, which was to land at 7 am, was delayed by two hours, he said.
"The Indigo flight from Delhi has landed at Patna airport at 7.30 am, while the flight from Mumbai to Patna has been delayed by two hours," Director of the Jay Prakash Narayan Airport, Patna, Bhupesh Negi told PTI.
The first flight from Patna to Delhi has also taken off, Negi added.
All scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended since March 25 when the government imposed a nationwide lockdown to curb the coronavirus pandemic.
It was announced last Thursday that one-third of pre-lockdown domestic flights will operate from Monday.
International scheduled commercial passenger flights remain suspended.
"I will be able to go to Delhi after two months. I had some important work in the national capital but could not attend to it because of the sudden lockdown. I am extremely happy that flight services have resumed," a passenger at Patna airport said.
Negi said a total of 16 flights will take off from Patna airport on Monday, while 17 flights will land.
Thermal screening of all passengers will be carried out at the airport by medical teams deputed by the state government, he said.
Asked whether air passengers to the state will be placed under quarantine, Negi said, "The district administration has clarified that passengers will not be quarantined after deboarding."
Some states have announced mandatory institutional quarantine for air travellers, while may others have suggested home quarantine.
Patna District Magistrate Kumar Ravi said the airport will be sanitised and disinfected at regular intervals and all passengers have to use face covers or masks.
Passengers will not have to face any difficulty in commuting to and from the airport as a large number of autos, e-rickshaws and taxis have been allowed to ply, he added.