4th positive Covid case in Gurugram

Sumedha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, March 18

With Gurugram getting four positive cases of Covid, the city is headed for a lockdown, with the local administration closing all shopping malls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, spas and weekly bazaars till March 31 and restricting social and religious gatherings to 50 people.

While official figures released by the state heath authorities mention only two confirmed patients, the number has risen to four, according to senior officials. The third patient is the wife of a Nirvana Country resident. The 56-year-old patient, admitted to Safdarjung, tested positive for Covid today and was shifted. The fourth patient is a 22-year-old woman from the Palam Vihar area. She was a student in London and returned to India on March 14. Though the authorities refused to officially divulge any further details, senior officials confirmed that her sample tested in Delhi was positive.

The Pune Institute of Virology had so far confirmed Covid in just the first case, a woman residing in Sector 9 admitted to Fortis, while the reports of the other three were awaited.

Taking no chances, the local authorities shut shopping malls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, spas and weekly bazaars. However, pharmacy and medical stores, grocery shops and supermarkets would remain open so that people could buy essential items.

Moreover, religious, social, political, academic, sports and mass gatherings, including weddings, were restricted to 50 people. The order came into force with immediate effect. A decision to this effect was made during a meeting between the district administration and Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Rajiv Arora.

“All restaurants having dining facility have been restricted to 50 seats. Public dealing at government offices should be minimised while not impacting time-bound and essential services,” read the order.

State update

3,632 Persons under surveillance 

3,589 Persons in home isolation

43 Persons hospitalised

91 Samples sent for testing

68 Persons found negative

Hoarding on

Gurugram is witnessing hoarding of grocery items, with people buying ration for three months suspecting a lockdown like in the USA. Many stores in the city have reported shortage of pulses and rice due to heavy sales. The administration has appealed to people not to panic as supply of essential items will be ensured. The municipal corporation has suspended public interaction and asked its officials to take care of the tasks online.

No class I-VIII exams

In view of the Covid scare, the Education Department has decided that no examination for classes I to VIII will be conducted by government and private schools till March 31.