Chandigarh may give relaxations from May 4

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 30

On the lines of the Himachal Pradesh Government, the UT Administration may consider giving relaxation in curfew for morning walkers from May 4.

City continues to be in red zone

Chandigarh continues to be in the new list of 130 hotspot (red zone) districts released by the Union Health Ministry on Thursday. A total of 74 coronavirus cases have been reported from the city so far. Earlier, the UT was declared a hotspot district by the Centre on April 15. The city was declared a containment zone on April 18 by the Administration to speed up screening and testing of suspected cases to prevent further spread of the virus.

Sources said several other relaxations were under active consideration of the Administration. The authorities could allow a partial opening of stationery, books, computer and mobile shops etc in areas other than the affected pockets, said the sources.

The UT is under curfew since March 24.

Meanwhile, with six more Covid-19 cases being reported today, the total number of persons infected with the virus in the city reached 74.

A 19-year-old woman from Bapu Dham Colony was found positive today. She delivered a baby at

the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, today. The baby has been found negative for the virus. The woman and her baby are in a good condition. Sources said she was admitted to the hospital on April 28 as she complained of pain in her abdomen. She lives with her husband in Shastri Nagar in Mani Majra and had come to her in-laws house in Bapu Dham two days ago. What is worrying for the officials is that she is not part of the chain of the GMCH-32 ward attendant, the first positive case here. Even her house falls outside the area sealed by the authorities here. The woman has 12 household contacts at the colony in Sector 26 and two family contacts at Shastri Nagar, Mani Majra. Over 100 of her contacts have been home-quarantined.

On Wednesday night, five more persons from the city had tested positive. Two cases were reported from a house in Sector 52 where a niece of a positive case of Bapu Dham had earlier tested positive. Her mother (39) and brother (14) have now been found positive.

The 39-year-old woman used to work as a sweeper at Aashreya – a home for orphaned and abandoned mentally challenged persons. She came in a contact with 20 persons in the institute. The whole staff has been home-quarantined. New staff has been deputed there now. She had attended the wedding anniversary of her brother in Bapu Dham on April 17.

Two cases are of Sector 30. They are the wife (32) and a daughter (10) of a Covid patient. Besides, a case of a 32-year-old man from Bapu Dham was reported. He is a community contact of the first Covid patient at the colony.