Weekly Covid cases dip in Chandigarh tricity

After showing an upward trend for two consecutive weeks, the cumulative Covid-19 cases in the Chandigarh tricity area witnessed a dip in the week ending August 22

After showing an upward trend for two consecutive weeks, the cumulative Covid-19 cases in the tricity witnessed a dip in the week ending August 22. Only 74 new cases were reported, as compared to 86 the previous week.

Only 74 new Covid cases were reported in the week gone by, as compared to 86 the week before that in the Chandigarh tricity area.

However, after recording no fatality for two weeks, the tricity reported two deaths in the week gone by, leaving no margin for complacency.

Of the 74 new cases between August 16 and 22, 32 surfaced in Chandigarh, followed by 31 in Mohali and only 11 in Panchkula. For three days in the week, Panchkula had reported no case, which helped in the drop in numbers.

After the peak in May, the weekly cases in the tricity had started dropping and reached 50 in the week between July 26 and August 1. Then, in the first week of August, 65 cases were reported, followed by 86 cases in the week ending on August 15.

So far in August, till Monday, 115 cases have been reported in Mohali, 89 in Chandigarh and 31 in Panchkula, with a death each in the three areas.

With a 64-year-old man from Sector 11, Panchkula, succumbing to the virus on Monday, the district recorded its first Covid-19 casualty since July 23. According to the media bulletin shared by the health department, the man was a chronic smoker for the past 10 years.

Meanwhile, the tricity reported six new cases during the day, including three in Mohali, two in Chandigarh and one in Panchkula. The active caseload has dipped to 95 on Monday, with 49 patients in Mohali, 36 in Chandigarh and 10 in Panchkula.

‘Keep taking precautions’

Dr Amandeep Kang, director health services, Chandigarh, said: “The daily infection tally in Chandigarh is fluctuating. After a spike for a day, cases dip for the next few days. In August, we have not reported single-day figures in double digits. However, the cases are rising gradually because people are not adhering to Covid-19 safety norms. They think the restrictions have been lifted as the virus has gone, but that is not the case.”

Dr Jagat Ram, director, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, said: “The number of patients being hospitalised has started to go up after a significant drop in the past one month. People must follow all rules to avoid the third wave.”

So far, 65,068 people in Chandigarh have tested positive for the virus, of whom 64,220 have successfully recovered while 812 have succumbed. Of 68,570 positive patients in Mohali, 67,463 have been cured while 1,058 have died. Panchkula’s tally stands at 30,671. While 30,284 patients have been cured, 377 have died.