Restrictions extended till May 31 as Punjab continues to record high CFR

Chief minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday ordered extension of all restrictions imposed to contain Covid-19 spread till May 31, with directions for strict enforcement of the curbs

Chief minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday ordered extension of all restrictions imposed to contain Covid-19 spread till May 31, with directions for strict enforcement of the curbs. The decision comes as the state continues to record a high positivity rate of 13.1% for the last week and a case fatality rate at 2.4%.

Shops closed at Hall Bazaar during the weekend lockdown in Amritsar on Sunday. (Sameer Sehgal/ht)

The CM said deputy commissioners will continue to determine the opening of shops in a staggered manner and enforce other restrictions to check the spread of Covid, particularly in the rural belt. Depending on the local conditions, the DCs can make suitable amendments, added the CM. He asked the district administrations to ensure food kits for those in quarantine.

Reviewing the state’s Covid-19 situation at a meeting, he said while the restrictions so far had shown results, with some decline in day-to-day positivity and cases coming down from around 9,000 to 6,000, there was a need to extend the same due to the high positivity rate of 13.1% as of the May 9 to May 15 period, with case fatality rate (CFR) standing at 2.4.

Raising concerns over the spread of the new fungal disorder associated with Covid, the CM said that there’s need to increase surveillance.

Dr KK Talwar, who heads the government’s expert group on Covid, termed the fungal infection as a serious issue, which could be attributed to either high use of steroids or use of un-distilled water in oxygen.

The CM also directed the district administrations to investigate complaints of patients being fleeced by some private hospitals, warning that these would be shut down if they continue to indulge in malpractices.

On the availability of oxygen, the CM asked the health department to monitor the situation, adding that his government had arranged PSA plants and was expecting over 2,500 oxygen concentrators this month.