22 journalists among 691 fresh Covid cases in Chandigarh tricity

30 people, including 25 employees of media organisations, were found positive during a two-day camp at Chandigarh Press Club

As many as 22 journalists are among 691 people who tested positive for Covid-19 in the tricity on Saturday.

Thirty people, including 25 employees of media organisations in the tricity, were found positive during a two-day camp organised by the Chandigarh administration to screen mediapersons for Covid-19 at Chandigarh Press Club. Twenty-three of them are journalists, one of whom was diagnosed on Friday.

While five journalists are from print media, including two reporters, 20 are from electronic media, including three camerapersons, 14 desk staffers and an anchor. Two people from the administration of a news channel were also found positive.

“Family members of the journalists found positive were also called for testing, during which four more cases surfaced. A total of 160 people attended the camp, and all of them underwent antigen testing,” said Virender Rawat, president of Chandigarh Press Club.

UT health secretary Arun Gupta said such camps will continue to be organised for high-risk groups, which include police officials and street vendors. In fact, on September 17, UT administrator VP Singh Badnore had directed the officials concerned to hold special camps for police and media personnel to detect the infection on time.

6 succumb in Chandigarh

Meanwhile, the total infection count has climbed to 22,951 in the tricity, of which 6,845 remain active. As many as 335 people have succumbed to the virus, which include 13 whose deaths were confirmed on Saturday.

Chandigarh reported six deaths, taking the toll to 116, while 290 people tested positive.

The tally is inching towards 10,000, with 9,796 cases reported so far. However, with 351 patients being discharged, the number of those cured rose to 6,766 and active cases dropped to 2,911.

Those dead include two men, aged 54 and 58, from Mauli Jagran besides three other men, aged 30, 40 and 47, from Manimajra, Sector 52 and Dadumajra, respectively, and 60-year-old woman from Sector 26. All of them had pre-existing diseases.

Mohali tally goes past 8,000

With 239 people testing positive, Mohali district’s case tally breached the 8,000 mark, while the toll reached 157 with two more deaths.

Those dead have been identified as a 53-year-old woman from Dappar and a 44-year-old man from Phase 7.

Among the fresh cases, 84 surfaced in Mohali city, followed by 48 in Dhakoli and 44 in Gharuan. he district has reported 8,228 positive cases, of which 2,613 are active. As many as 5,458 patients have been discharged, including 162 on Saturday.

Four women among 5 casualties in P’kula

Five people, including four women, died of Covid-19 in Panchkula district while 162 tested positive.

Those who succumbed include three women, aged 55, 60 and 64, from Manakpur, Mansa Devi Complex and Sector 9, respectively, who were also suffering from diabetes. Others are a 56-year-old woman and a 70-year-old man from Tipra village. The district has registered 62 deaths so far.

Maximum cases (12) on Saturday were reported from Sector 11, followed by Raipurani (11) and Pinjore and Sector 20 with 10 each. The total number of cases has reached 4,927, of which 1,321 are active and 3,544 patients have recovered.