<span style="color: #222222;">In Jharkhand, 173 new Corona cases were detected during the past 24 hours, taking the total tally to 3,043. This is the biggest ever single day spike of Covid 19 in the state. One Minister and an MLA were also found positive yesterday and have been admitted to hospital in Ranchi and Dhanbad. <br />''<br />''AIR correspondent reports that Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister Mithilesh Kumar Thakur and Tundi MLA Mathura Prasad Mahto of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha party have tested COVID19 positive and have been admitted at Corona Special Ward in Ranchi and Dhanbad respectively.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Around 20 journalists in Dhanbad district have also been tested Corona positive. Chief Minister Hemant Soren who attended a house warming party organised at Minister Thakur's residence two days ago have been sent to quarantine, while several senior bureaucrats and officials who attended the minister's party have also been identified for COVID19 swab tests under the contact tracing protocol followed.<br />''</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Recovery rate in the state presently has dropped to 69 percent after the recent surge in the number of COVID cases. </span> <br />