The State health department on Monday directed all private hospitals in Jharkhand to reserve at least 50 per cent of beds for Covid-19 patients amid an alarming rise in Covid cases and an acute shortage of dedicated beds in the State capital.

Last week, the Government had asked private hospitals to reserve 25 per cent of beds for Covid patients, but the crisis of beds continued to haunt patients and their family in many parts of the State. The fresh direction was given to private hospitals following a meeting of top Health officials chaired by Health Minister Banna Gupta

Ranchi alone accounted for eight Covid casualties and 787 cases of infection on the day, revealed NHM data. The active caseload in the district reached 6,981 on Monday, the highest among the 24 districts in Jharkhand.