Every 5th person tested in Panchkula found +ve for Covid

Amit Bathla

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, January 9

Every fifth person who underwent the Covid test in the district was found positive today.

At the positivity rate of 19.78 per cent, the district reported 418 cases, increasing worries for the local health administration. On January 1, the Covid-19 positivity rate stood at just 1.63 per cent. It went up to 4.92 per cent on January 3 and 8.45 per cent on January 5. The positivity rate was recorded at 11.7 per cent on January 7.

Positivity rate indicates the percentage of people who test positive for the virus compared to those who have been tested for it.

As the cases continue to rise, the number of daily samples has also increased in the district.

From January 2 to January 8, the district tested as many as 14,360 samples at an average of over 2,000 samples a day. On two occasions, the district crossed the 2,500 mark in daily sample collection.

Civil Surgeon Mukta Kumar said the highly contagious Omicron variant was the main reason for the rapid rise in positivity rate. “Despite a high rate of transmission, hospitalisation is low this time,” she said.

On sampling capacity, she said they could process a maximum of 2,500 samples a day at the local lab.

As active caseload reaches near the 1,500 mark, the district continues to focus on increasing the number of Covid care centres in the district. So far, six centres have been set up. According to the district administration, these centres can accommodate up to 260 patients, but their capacity can be increased if there is a need.

These centres are Jatayu Yatrika near Mansa Devi temple (25 beds), Community Centre in Sector 12 (40 beds), Community Centre in Sector 21 (35 beds), Government College in Kalka (60 beds), the Government College for Women in Sector 14 (50 beds) and Swami Devi Dayal Engineering College in Barwala (50 beds).

‘Set up Covid care centres away from residential areas’

Meanwhile, the Citizens’ Welfare Association, an apex body of local residents, has put up resistance against setting up of isolation centres in residential areas as “it creates a fear of transmission in the minds of those living nearby”.

“After the Community Centre in Sector 12 was converted into a Covid care centre, area residents can’t live freely due to the fear of transmission of the virus. I request Health Minister Anil Vij and Vidhan Sabha Speaker and local MLA Gian Chand Gupta to instruct local authorities to set up Covid care centres away from residential areas,” said SK Nayyar, president of the association.