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Covid pandemic in Ludhiana: Spike of 1,000 cases in 17 days reinforces need for masks, social distancing
From 1,000 cases in a month (between June 1 and July 5), the cases doubled to 2,000 in just 17 days on July 22.
While Ludhiana recorded 200 Covid-19 cases on June 1, over two months after the first case was reported on March 24, the district has seen the cases steadily rise through June and July, already crossing the 2,400 mark.
From 1,000 cases in a month (between June 1 and July 5), the cases doubled to 2,000 in just 17 days on July 22.
Even thereon, there has been no let-up in cases, with the district witnessing 100 new cases every single day, reaching 2,439 on Saturday.
This has once again reinforced the significance of complying with Covid-19 protocols, such as social distancing, wearing masks in public and frequently sanitising or washing hands.
“The surge in cases is largely because the public, especially the young and the middle-age group, have ignored government guidelines on social distancing and wearing masks. Public places are teeming with people, with residents even throwing parties,” said Dr Bishav Mohan, a senior cardiologist and member of the COVID-19 task force of the Punjab government.
He said which way the graph goes in the near future depended on public’s abidance to the Covid-19 protocols.
Dr Mohan also emphasised the need for early testing and treatment to contain the spread of virus, as with the onset of monsoon, dengue cases may also rise and increase the load on the district’s health infrastructure.
He urged residents to make wearing a face mask a part of their lifestyle and avoid attending social gatherings to break the chain of infection.
Dr Milan Verma, who is supervising the Covid-19 unit at the civil hospital, said, “August will be crucial in containing the virus. Cases began to rise in June as the borders were reopened and residents returned to their routine. Naturally, majority of the patients are from the working age group, as they started venturing out to make a living.”
He said majority of the 50 patients, who have so far succumbed to the virus, had comorbidities, such as tuberculosis (TB), diabetes and hypertension, adding that residents with these ailments needed to exercise extra caution.
