Punjab logs 2,000 daily cases after nearly 6 months

The coronavirus surge continued in Punjab on Wednesday with 2,039 new infections and 35 more people succumbing to the pathogen, the health department said

The coronavirus surge continued in Punjab on Wednesday with 2,039 new infections and 35 more people succumbing to the pathogen, the health department said.

The state’s infection tally rose to 2.03 lakh, while 35 more fatalities took the toll to 6,172. There are 27 critical patients who are on ventilator support, while 283 are on oxygen support, as per the medical bulletin. (HT photo)

The active cases rose to 13,320 from 12,616 a day ago. As many as 1,274 more patients recuperated, taking the number of recoveries to 1.84 lakh, according to a bulletin.

The infection tally rose to 2.03 lakh, while 35 more fatalities took the toll to 6,172. There are 27 critical patients who are on ventilator support, while 283 are on oxygen support, the bulletin said.

Jalandhar reported a maximum of 277 cases, Ludhiana 233, Mohali 222, Patiala 203 and Hoshiarpur 191. A total of 54.61 lakh samples have been collected for testing so far, it added.

On Tuesday, the state reported 38 deaths and 1,475 new cases.

Sukhbir shifted to Gurgaon hospital

Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal who had tested positive for the infection was taken to a private hospital in Gurgaon on Wednesday for further tests as a precautionary measure.

Nonagenarian former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal tested negative on Wednesday. Muktsar civil surgeon Ranju Singla said after Sukhbir Badal’s corona report, all residents at Badal’s residence, including security personnel were tested. “So far three persons, including a woman cook, were tested positive. The infected persons are being taken care of,” she added.#

Two more found infected at Thapar university

After surge in cases at Thapar university, only two cases were reported from the varsity campus on Wednesday. District epidemiologist Dr Sumeet Singh said situation is completely under control. “We are taking all precautionary measures to contain the infection. The varsity authorities have already been directed to adhere to Covid guidelines,” he said.

20 MBBS students of Amritsar GMC test positive Twenty students of Government Medical College (GMC), Amritsar, who had recently returned to the college after a trip to Rajasthan, tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, amid the second wave of pandemic hitting the state. GMC Amritsar principal Dr Rajiv Devgan said, “A group of 54 students, pursuing MBBS 2nd year at the GMC, had gone to Rajasthan. The college gavn the permission but had asked the students to get tested for Covid-19, before coming back to the hostel. The students, however, returned to college hostel without informing the authorities on March 15 (Monday) and they had not got covid reports.”

“After some of them got severe symptoms, the authorities strictly ordered Covid tests of all 54 students and 20 of them were tested ‘positive’ on Wednesday. Upon receiving the information, 17 of the infected students were sent home for isolation while the remaining three have been isolated at the GMC hospital,” the principal added. (With inputs from PTI)