Govt schools, ITBP Centre among 42 sites identified for campaignPeople flout norms, dump waste in N-Choe

njay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Mohali, March 13

Mohali district has witnessed more than 194 per cent increase in Covid active cases in the past two weeks. The number of active cases has gone up from 636 to 1,237 cases in the district.

Two weeks ago on March 1, the district tally was 20,375, which has now jumped to 21,656. Similarly, the number of recoveries rose from 19,354 to 20,018. The recovery rate in the district has declined from 94.98 per cent to 92.4 per cent in the same period. The Covid toll rose from 385 to 401, an increase of 4.15 per cent.

In February, 20 deaths had been reported while 16 persons had succumbed to the virus in the past 13 days.

A random survey of the markets in the city and other places in the district revealed more than 90 per cent people were without a mask.

Civil Surgeon Dr Adarshpal Kaur said the sudden spurt in Covid cases in the district was due to the testing of employees of the state Assembly as the session was in progress. She said all employees were asymptomatic. A large number of cases from schools were also coming up. Now, they have set a target of taking 1,000 samples for the Covid test daily, she added.

The district administration had already doubled the penalty from Rs500 to Rs1,000 for not wearing a mask and spitting in public places. Any violation will invite criminal proceedings under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and the Indian Penal Code.