E-Paper
56 home quarantined after Punjab’s first Covid-19 death in Banga
Among those who came in contact with him were 18 members of his family. They include six persons from a family of Moranwali village in Hoshiarpur: A 70-year-old man, his wife, son, and three grandchildren, who had been admitted to the Hoshiarpur civil hospital
SHAHEED BHAGAT SINGH NAGAR: Fifty-six people who came in contact with a 70-year-old male coronavirus patient who died in Banga on March 18 were home-quarantined in Punjab’s Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar by the district administration from Friday morning.
Punjab’s first coronavirus case and India’s fourth, Baldev Singh, returned from Germany via Italy a fortnight ago and died in hospital after chest pain. Among those who came in contact with him were 18 members of his family. They include six persons from a family of Moranwali village in Hoshiarpur: A 70-year-old man, his wife, son, and three grandchildren, who had been admitted to the Hoshiarpur civil hospital.
CONTACT TRACING ON
Confirming the developments, Banga sub-divisional magistrate Gautam Jain said: “We have kept them in home quarantine and are tracing others who contacted Baldev to keep them under surveillance according to health department instructions.”
Health officials said they were keeping a close watch on all 56 people and conducting medical check-ups. Those developing coronavirus symptoms will be isolated.
Isolation wards with a capacity to deal with 3,000 patients are being set up, they added.
After Baldev Singh’s samples tested positive, the district administration sealed his village, Pathlawa, which has a population of 3,000, and quarantined 17 people, including doctors and paramedical staff who treated him.
SECTION 144 IMPOSED IN SIX VILLAGES
Deputy commissioner, Hoshiarpur, Apneet Riyiat has imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code that restricts the gathering of five or more persons on six villages, including Moranwali, Imme Jatta, Posi, Nurpur Jatta, Suni and Binjo of Garshankar sub-division in Hoshiarpur district till March 31.
These villages are near Pathlawa village of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar.
