Pandemic in Punjab turns grimmer in May

The number of coronavirus causalities in the first 13 days of this month in Punjab has already crossed the cumulative figure of April, an analysis of the state health department’s data reveals

The number of coronavirus causalities in the first 13 days of this month in Punjab has already crossed the cumulative figure of April, an analysis of the state health department’s data reveals.

People waiting for their turn to get tested in Bathinda on Friday.

In April, 2,154 people succumbed to the infection, but the state’s death toll was 2,275 from May 1 to 13. The maximum 217 deaths were witnessed on Wednesday (May 12) due to the contagious disease.

Ludhiana is the worst-hit district in Punjab with 288 deaths this month so far, followed by Bathinda, Amritsar and Patiala at 233, 206 and 191 fatalities, respectively. Also, Sangrur, Muktsar and Fazilka districts saw 183, 127 and 117 fatalities, respectively due to the infection.

30% deaths this month in four Malwa districts

The four districts in the Malwa region — Sangrur, Bathinda, Muktsar and Fazilka —registered 670 deaths this month, nearly 30% of the state’s total deaths. In the past one week, the number of fresh cases in these districts witnessed an unusual spike while registering a positivity rate as high as 20%.

All these districts, considered as a hub of the ongoing farm agitation, are predominantly rural.

State Covid-19 nodal officer Dr Rajesh Bhaskar said the health department was working on the data to ascertain if the rural areas have witnessed surge in the recent days.

“As far as overall deaths are concerned, the case fatality rate (CFR) in urban areas of Punjab has increased in the past few days. While the rural-urban death ratio was 55:45 earlier, it was 48:52 till few days ago,” he said.

The government data shows the state’s overall CFR at 2.4%. “There is surge in deaths but the number of fresh cases has also gone up. Therefore, the CFR is almost the same as it was two weeks ago,” said an official.