Residents concerned as community spread danger lurks in Amritsar

The city has recorded 10 Covid-19 patients and two deaths to date

AMRITSAR The fear of Covid-19 community transmission looms in Amritsar following two recent positive cases, who had no recent foreign travel history and their source of contracting the infection is unclear. The city has recorded 10 Covid-19 patients and two deaths to date.

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Among the 10 positive cases, a 67-year-old man of Krishna Nagar was tested positive on April 3 and he has no recent foreign travel history and had not travelled outside Amritsar for long. The man’s wife too was tested positive for the virus on April 5.

Former municipal corporation official Jaswinder Singh, 65, of Chatiwind Gate died of coronavirus at a private hospital on Monday. He was tested positive for the virus and he too had no recent foreign travel history, making him another community spread case. Singh’s wife has also been tested positive in her preliminary test.

“Both the cases are community transmission cases as the patients had no foreign travel history. The patients had not even met any known coronavirus patient. The patients’ source of infection has not been traced yet and health department is working on it. This is worrisome. This is a warning sign for residents to stay indoors,” said Amritsar civil surgeon, Dr Prabhdeep Kaur Johal.

Fearing community transmission, some residents have been urging government to step up surveillance and enforce the lockdown. “The administration has not been able to trace the source of infection in two cases nor has it given any official statement on the community transmission. We have definitely entered third stage,” tweeted a city resident.

“Kindly look into the matter urgently. Despite community spread, people are still not serious about the lockdown in Amritsar. Vehicles are passing by and people are wandering on the streets without wearing masks. Please start patrolling in the by-lanes,” tweeted another resident on Twitter.