Shimla, April 23 (PTI) After a five-day hiatus, Himachal Pradesh recorded a fresh case of COVID-19 on Thursday, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 41, officials said.

A man from Sirmaur district tested positive, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) R D Dhiman said.

His history could not be known immediately.

A total of 349 samples were taken for testing on Wednesday. Out of the total samples, the man from Sirmaur tested positive at Kasauli's Central Research Institute (CRI) in Solan whereas the rest of the samples tested negative.

He has been admitted at Katha's ESI hospital in Baddi.

The number of active cases in the state is 17, whereas 18 have been cured.

Four patients were shifted to a private hospital outside Himachal Pradesh.

Two people have died of COVID-19 in the state.

The fatalities include a 70-year-old Delhi resident who had stayed at a factory's guest house in Solan's Baddi and died at Chandigarh's PGIMER on April 2.

Meanwhile a total of 280 samples are being tested in the state on Thursday, he said adding that 40 tested negative whereas the report of the rest is awaited.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)