The Covid-19 infection tally in Punjab on Thursday rose to 5,99,304 with 40 fresh cases, according to a medical bulletin.
No Covid-related death was reported on Thursday.
The death toll, which stands at 16,301, includes two fatalities which were not reported earlier, according to the bulletin.
The number of active cases stands at 464, it said.
Fazilka, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana reported five cases each, followed by four each in Amritsar and Mohali.
With 45 recoveries from the infection, the number of cured people reached 5,82,539, it said.
Civil surgeons to ensure Covid surveillance in schools: Health minister
In view of re-opening of schools after the second coronavirus wave, health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Thursday directed all civil surgeons to ensure Covid surveillance in schools as per the standard operating procedures recommended by the committee of experts.
The health minister said to prevent any major outbreak of Covid-19 among children in schools, instructions have been issued to all the civil surgeons to prepare a micro plan, which provides data of suspected cases and tests to be conducted in their respective districts. “It is the responsibility of schools management to educate their teachers, staff and students on Covid-19 prevention measures,” he said in a statement.
He said schools must develop a schedule for daily cleaning and disinfection of the premises, facilities and frequently touched surfaces, and ensure availability of hand hygiene. “Schools should enforce the policy of staying home if unwell and also ensure students or staff who have been in contact with a Covid positive person to stay home for 14 days,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}He said schools must develop a schedule for daily cleaning and disinfection of the premises, facilities and frequently touched surfaces, and ensure availability of hand hygiene. “Schools should enforce the policy of staying home if unwell and also ensure students or staff who have been in contact with a Covid positive person to stay home for 14 days,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Also, physical distancing of at least six feet between individuals can be maintained by spacing of desks, staging recesses, breaks and lunch breaks; limiting the mixing of classes and of age groups; considering smaller classes or alternating attendance schedules, and ensuring good ventilation in classrooms, frequent hand and respiratory hygiene, and environmental cleaning measures should be in place to limit exposure.