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Chandigarh tricity area logs steepest single day spike of 311 cases
Mohali and Panchkula record sharpest jump in 24 hours; four fatalities – three in Mohali and one in Chandigarh – take tricity toll to 82.
With 311 fresh infections, tricity’s daily Covid-19 count crossed the 300 mark for the first time and also recorded the steepest single-day spike on Wednesday.
Mohali and Panchkula also witnessed the sharpest jump within 24 hours with 134 and 86 cases, respectively.
Tricity’s last highest surge at 230 cases was logged just two days ago on August 17. The day also saw Chandigarh and Mohali’s previously highest cases at 114 and 102, respectively.
ONE DEATH, RECORD RECOVERIES IN UT
Chandigarh confirmed 91 new Covid-19 cases, taking its tally to 2,396, while the death toll rose to 31 with a 74-year-old man from Sector 24 succumbing to the virus at PGIMER.
The elderly man, ailing from acute respiratory distress syndrome, had suffered refractory septic shock due to coronavirus.
Wednesday also witnessed a record number of 108 recoveries. As many as 1,351 patients have been discharged so far, leaving 1,012 active cases.
The new cases were reported from 21 different sectors, besides Dadumajra, Manimajra, Burail, Kajheri, Maloya, Daria, Raipur Khurd, Mauli Jagran, Kishangarh, Khuda Lahora, Behlana, Bapu Dham Colony and Hallomajra.
THREE FATALITIES, 134 NEW CASES IN MOHALI
Mohali district’s Covid toll rose to 43 on Wednesday with three more people losing the battle to the virus.
The day also saw the district recording its steepest single-day surge with 134 cases, taking the count to 2,138.
Of the total fatalities, 23 (53%) people have died in the past nine days – one on August 10, two each on August 11 and 12, five on August 13, one on August 14, two on August 15, three on August 16, four on August 18 and three on August 19.
Wednesday’s fatalities include two men, aged 41 and 42. Both were admitted at Gian Sagar Hospital in Banur. The third deceased was a 53-year-old man from Padiala village. He was admitted at Grecian Hospital, Sector 69.
Civil surgeon Dr Manjit Singh said all three patients were suffering from comorbidities. “Their cremations were conducted as per protocol under the observation of health officials,” he added.
Among the 134 fresh cases on Wednesday, 48 are from Mohali sub-division, 47 from Kharar sub-division and 39 cases from Dera Bassi sub-division.
Also, on Wednesday, 178 patients were discharged after recovery, bringing down the number of active cases to 922.
So far, of the total 2,138 confirmed cases, 1,173 patients have recovered from the disease and 43 have died.
Speaking about the rising cases, Dr Singh said it was the result of extensive contact tracing. “Majority of the new cases are contacts of previously positive patients, most of whom had travel history,” he said.
DERA BASSI MLA, KHARAR DSP FOUND INFECTED
Mohali Two days after Shiromani Akali Dal MLA from Dera Bassi, NK Sharma, held a press conference in Zirakpur on Monday, he tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday. Kharar deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Pal Singh, who had been on duty for the past few days, was also found infected.
Mohali civil surgeon Dr Manjit Singh said both of them were asymptomatic and under home quarantine. “We will be taking the samples of their family and work contacts on Thursday,” he added.
RECORD 86 PEOPLE TEST POSITIVE IN PANCHKULA
Panchkula district saw the sharpest surge in infections in a single day with 86 new Covid-19 cases.
The last highest spike at 65 was almost a month ago on July 21.
The district’s tally now stands at 1,313, including 393 active cases, 912 recoveries and eight fatalities.
The fresh cases includes nine commandos from the security team of Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
“Every 15 days, we conduct tests of security personnel on duty at the CM’s residence. The commando tested positive on Wednesday were not on duty currently,” said Dr Jasjeet Kaur, civil surgeon, Panchkula.
Among the remaining cases, majority are from Kalka, Pinjore and Nanakpur village. While 24 people got infected in Kalka, 13 were tested positive in Pinjore and Nanakpur village.
In Panchkula city, six cases are from Sector 4, three each from Sectors 6, 7 and 17, two each from Sectors 15 and 21 and one from Sectors 2, 10, 12 and 16.
Other cases were reported from Manak Tabra, Kundi village, Raipur Rani, Abheypur, Kot, Indira Colony, Budanpur, Rajiv Colony, Industrial Area and Amravati Enclave.
“The number of cases is going to spike further. Exercising precaution is vital,” said Dr Kaur.
“We have increased surveillance and sampling so that cases can be detected early and patients are put in isolation. We have also constituted 10 teams of contact tracing with an official from the education department and para-medical in each team. Our focus is on aggressive contact tracing,” she added.
