18 more test positive for Covid-19 in Rajasthan, death toll 8

The total number of coronavirus positive cases in the state has risen to 579, with new cases reported from Telghar and Chandraghat areas.

Representational image | A doctor wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) places a saliva swab into a test tube for analysis during coronavirus symptom tests in Germany | Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi | Bloomberg

Jaipur: Rajasthan recorded 18 more cases of coronavirus on Saturday, taking the tally in the state to 579, an official said.

The virus has so far claimed eight lives in the state.

“18 new cases have come up today — 14 in Kota and four in Bikaner district. All had contact history,” Additional Chief Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said.

He said the total number of coronavirus positive cases in the state has risen to 579.

The new cases in Kota were reported from the most affected Telghar and Chandraghat areas. The four new cases in Bikaner are family members of an elderly woman who had died of COVID-19, Singh said.

Among the total cases of coronavirus in Rajasthan are two Italian citizens, 50 people brought back from Iran and quarantined at Army health centres in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer.

Jaipur has reported the highest number of coronavirus cases in the state at 221.

Rajasthan is under a lockdown from March 22 and a massive survey and screening is underway to trace the contagion.