Watch | COVID-19 Bulletin: One in Four Returning Migrants From Delhi Test Positive in Bihar

Until May 18, the state had tested 8,337 people who had come from outside the state. Of these, 651 tested positive.

According to data released by the Bihar government, one in four migrants returning from Delhi in Bihar have been found positive. The state has tested 835 Delhi returnees, of which 218 or 26% have the infection. Until May 18, the state had tested 8,337 people who had come from outside the state. Of these, 651 tested positive. Of the 265 samples of migrant workers who returned from West Bengal, 33 tested positive. Reportedly, the count of migrants tested from each state is not proportional to the total number who have returned from that state. Yet, Delhi is an outlier along with Bengal and Haryana. This data also indicates there is a presence of a large asymptomatic population in Delhi of which some are making the move to Bihar and other states. A senior official in the Delhi health department told Scroll that “While 26% is no doubt a high number, these people would have picked it up during the journey back, not in Delhi.” Sanjay Kumar who heads Bihar’s health department also told the media website that on their front, they have drawn the attention of the concerned states to this and asked them to ensure immaculate pre-boarding screening.