File image of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar  |  Photo Credit: ANI
Key Highlights
- The three ministers who have tested positive include Ashok Choudhary, Vijay Choudhary and Sunil Kumar
- National president of Janata Dal (United), Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also tested positive for coronavirus yesterday
- The Bihar government imposed a night curfew and other restrictions in the state yesterday effective Thursday
Patna: A health crisis looms for the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar with both deputy chief ministers Wednesday testing positive for COVID-19. Apart from Deputy CMs Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi, three ministers have also tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The three ministers include Ashok Choudhary, Vijay Choudhary and Sunil Kumar.
The development came a day after the national president of Janata Dal (United), Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also popularly known as Lalan Singh, tested positive for coronavirus.
The state yesterday reported 893 new Covid-19 cases, with 565 of these being reported from capital Patna only.
The health department said the state’s active Covid-19 tally has jumped to 2,220, including 1,250 in Patna.
According to a health department official, the cases are spreading in different parts of Bihar amid the threat of the highly-contagious Omicron variant.
With COVID-19 showing a surge in Bihar, the Government of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Tuesday announced the imposition of a night curfew and other restrictions in the state. These fresh curbs will take effect starting Thursday.
The Bihar home department said the night curfew will be implemented from 10 pm to 5 am and the latest restrictions in the state will be in effect till January 21.
Schools up to Class VIII have been ordered shut online teaching can continue. Further, offices – government as well as private – can now operate with only up to 50 per cent attendance.
Gyms, cinema halls, swimming pools and stadiums have been asked to close down and restaurants have been ordered to operate with 50 per cent occupancy only.