Weekly Covid tally sees uptick in Chandigarh tricity

With 69 fresh infections reported in the week, the weekly Covid cases in Chandigarh tricity area witnessed a slight uptick; experts say cases may rise as people were complacent in festive season

With 69 fresh infections reported in the week ending on November 14, the Covid-19 case tally in the tricity witnessed a slight uptick for the first time in eight weeks. Though the cases have increased after the festive season, medical experts feel the weekly tally is constantly fluctuating and it is too early to consider it another peak.

With 69 infections, tricity’s weekly Covid cases were highest in 8 weeks. Cases have increased after the festive season. (AP File Photo/ Representational image)

In the previous week, the tricity had reported 41 cases, besides one fatality in Mohali. This week too, Mohali recorded one Covid-related fatality.

In Mohali, the case tally reached 35 this week, against 25 cases reported last week. Panchkula, too, recorded a slight hike from five cases to 12. The cases in Chandigarh, however, doubled from last week’s 11 to 22 cases this week.

Dr Suman Singh, director, health services, Chandigarh, said, “The cases didn’t witness a significant spike because of herd immunity. Most of the people are now vaccinated which is helping in controlling the transmission. People must not feel complacent as Covid is not finished yet and should get fully vaccinated at the earliest.”

‘Next few weeks crucial’

The health department authorities in the tricity said the next 2-4 weeks were crucial to assessing the transmission rate of the infection, which may rise as people were complacent in following the Covid appropriate behaviour in the festive season.

“The positivity rate in Mohali is controllable and cases increased this week because some people of a family, who had travelled from a foreign country, had tested positive. We have not lowered our guards and the department is tracing every positive case in Mohali,” said Mohali civil surgeon Dr Adarshpal Kaur.

Mukta Kumar, CMO, Panchkula, said, “It’s too early to say that cases are on the rise, but people must get their second dose of vaccine.”

Dr GD Puri, dean (academics) and head of the Covid management panel, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), said, “At present, only 19 Covid patients are undergoing treatment at the institute, of which eight have severe infections.”