E-Paper
Second Covid wave in Punjab has low fatality rate despite high caseload
Experts say the state may hit its peak in the third week of April when daily case count is expected to reach nearly 4,500
The case fatality rate (CFR) during the second coronavirus wave in Punjab is lower than the first one that swept the state last year even as caseload this time is on the higher side, shows an analysis of the figures of the health department.
In the second wave that experts say started in early January, the CFR remained 1.8% against 3% of the last time.
This despite the fact that the state’s overall fatality rate so far at 2.7% is still the highest in the country, followed by Sikkim at 2.2% though less deaths brought the figure down from January’s first week when it was 3.2%.
Punjab’s CFR in April remained 1.7%.
State Covid-19 nodal officer Dr Rajesh Bhaskar said, “The CFR this time is low as we learnt lessons from the first wave and encouraged people to come forward for testing at the earliest. But still, a lot needs to be done as people still are as hesitant about early testing.”
Peak likely in 3rd week of April
Experts working in the state government’s Covid-management group say the second wave in the state may hit its peak in the third week of April when daily case count is expected to reach nearly 4,500.
“Our prediction model has been near accurate so far. We look at April third week as crucial. We can minimise the impact by strictly following the protocols,” said the nodal officer.
In the first wave till December 31, the state recorded 1,66,522 cases in 287 days since the first case of Covid-19 was detected in Punjab on March 18. This comes out to be 580 cases per day.
But from January 1 to April 14, the state added 1,15,983 cases, in 104 days, registering a daily average of 1,115 cases. Whereas the first wave witnessed 7,632 deaths, the figure in the second is 2,330.
