Patna: Concerns are rising in Bihar as COVID-19 has made a re-entry into the state, with two new positive cases identified in Patna. Both patients were initially detected at Paras HMRI Hospital, with one also confirming positive at a private laboratory in Kankarbagh.
The individuals presented with common respiratory symptoms, including cold, cough, and breathing difficulties. One of the patients received outpatient care, while the other required hospitalization due to decreased oxygen levels but has since been discharged.
The emergence of these new cases has brought to light a significant gap in public health services: free COVID-19 testing, previously available at government hospitals in Patna, has been suspended for the past year.
This leaves private laboratories as the only option for testing, with charges ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 1400 per test. The lack of accessible and free testing could pose a challenge in effectively monitoring and containing any potential wider spread of the virus in the state.
