Himachal Pradesh on Monday recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases (43) in a single day which took the tally to 716, prompting the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to directing government to properly scrutinizing returnees before their entry to state.

Of the 43 cases that were reported today, 36 cases were from Sunday as the test reports were awaited while 7 persons had been tested positive for COVID-19 today.

With the new cases, the number of active cases had increased to 275 while 422 had been cured of the deadly disease.

The highest number of cases had been reported from Kangra (191), followed by Hamirpur (182), Una (89) and Solan (79) while six persons had died of Coronavirus.

Meanwhile Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the people of the state stranded in different parts of the country willing to come back, must apply online before the concerned Deputy Commissioners and after complete scrutiny they would be allowed to enter the state.

After a virtual with Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and Chief Medical Officers, Thakur said DCs have been authorised to declare any institutions within their jurisdiction as COVID Care Centre so as to facilitate the COVID-19 patients in their respective district.

“Around 100 new cases of Corona have been detected in the state within last three days and it is a matter of great concern,” he said.

Thakur said the state had already brought back about two lakh people stranded in different parts of the country who desperately required to be brought back and now e-passes must be given to those residents on medical grounds or in case of death.

“Further, the home quarantine mechanism must be made more effective and constant vigil must be kept on the people, so that the persons do not jump home quarantine.

More facilities of institution quarantine must be created so as to ensure that there was no dearth of beds, if in any case the number of people with ILI symptoms increases,” he added.

He directed the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that the person entering the State must also enter point of origin in his/her pass, besides his/her point of destination. He added that if desperately required, the schools must be also acquired for institutional quarantine.

He also directed for strict action against those who conceal the point of their arrival and also jumps quarantine norms.

“All the people coming from red zone cities must be kept under institutional quarantine and after 4-5 days they would be tested for Covid-19 and only negative persons would be allowed to go home for home quarantine,” he added.