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Chandigarh tricity: Active Covid cases near 10,000; only 1.7% hospitalised
Against 9,615 active cases, the tricity has only 162 Covid positive residents admitted to government or private hospitals
The number of active cases jumped to 9,615 from 8,096 the previous day, as 1,945 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in the tricity on Tuesday.
Chandigarh recorded 801 cases, followed by 703 in Mohali and 441 in Panchkula. Three deaths — two in Chandigarh and one in Mohali — were also reported.
On Monday, 1,982 cases had surfaced, highest since the second wave, with Chandigarh alone accounting for 967, an all-time high for the UT. The highest single-tally in the tricity stands at 2,612, recorded when the second wave peaked on May 10 last year. The active caseload had peaked at 24,201 on May 12.
As on Tuesday evening, Chandigarh has 3,924 active cases, Mohali has 3,788 and Panchkula has 1,903 people infected with the virus.
Despite the rising active caseload, the number of hospitalisations remain low at 1.7% in the tricity. Chandigarh leads with 112 locals in government and private hospitals, followed by 46 Panchkula residents hospitalised and just four in Mohali.
Dr Girish Dogra, nodal officer for Covid-19 in Mohali, said: “Only four people are hospitalised in Mohali. Most patients are coming with mild symptoms — moderate fever, sore throat, headache and fatigue — and are isolated at home.”
Bulk of the hospitalisations in Chandigarh are at the PGIMER, where its own infected resident doctors and other staffers are occupying around 50% beds. According to the institute, most have just mild symptoms and are hospitalised owing to lack of isolation facilities at hostels.
Fatality rate at 0.08% in Jan
Even the number of fatalities has remained low, with just nine reported across the tricity this month. Mohali and Chandigarh account for four each, and Panchkula for one. When compared to 10,674 positive cases in this period (January 1-11), the case fatality rate is as low as 0.08%. During the second wave peak in May last year, it stood at 1.7% (46,245 cases and 790 deaths in just one month).
Among the patients who died on Tuesday, there was a 55-year-old woman from Sector 16 and 60-year-old man from Kajheri village in Sector 52, Chandigarh. While the woman was suffering from bronchopneumonia and was fully vaccinated, the man was suffering from asthma and had developed respiratory failure. He was vaccinated with just the first dose. In Mohali, a 63-year-old man admitted to the Sohana hospital succumbed to the virus.
Curbs in 14 more areas in UT
Amid the rising numbers of cases, the Chandigarh administration on Tuesday declared 14 more micro-containment zones across the city.
The new cases were spread across the city. In Panchkula, Sector 15, 20 and 21 have emerged as the main hot spots of the pandemic.
In the neighbouring Mohali district, Mohali subdivision accounted for 349 fresh cases, Kharar for 216 and Dera Bassi for 138. Civil surgeon Dr Adarshpal Kaur asked people to visit hospitals only in case of any serious problem, and otherwise contact the health department’s helpline 104 for expert advice.
Nodal officer +ve in Panchkula
Nearly 30 doctors have contracted the virus in Panchkula district, including 21 doctors from government hospitals. Chief medical officer Dr Mukta Kumar had also tested positive and has completed her isolation period.
Now, deputy civil surgeon and nodal officer for Covid-19 Dr Rajiv Narwa has tested positive. Even, deputy commissioner of police Mohit Handa has tested positive and is in home isolation.
2,355 get booster dose in tricity
The Chandigarh health department administered 1,244 booster doses against Covid-19, while 877 beneficiaries received their third jab in Panchkula. Mohali once again lagged behind with just 234 precaution doses to healthcare and frontline workers besides senior citizens with comorbidities.
The total has crossed 4,000 in the tricity, as 1,684 people had received the booster dose during the launch of the nationwide drive on Monday.
On Tuesday, 438 senior citizens, 467 healthcare workers and 339 frontline workers were administered the precaution dose in Chandigarh, taking the total to 2,199. In Mohali, the total has reached 361. The civil surgeon said the booster dose is available at all nine health centres in Mohali. In Panchkula, the number stands at 1,479.
Meanwhile, with dip in takers for Covid-19 vaccines at private hospitals and nursing homes in Chandigarh, as many as 5,000 doses of Covishield were nearing expiry dates.
“To avoid any wastage, it has been decided to replace these vaccines with fresh stock available with the UT administration, and use their doses on priority,” said UT health secretary Yashpal Garg.
