Covid cases touch new high in Haryana: 7,717 in 24 hrs

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 17

Fresh Covid cases touched a new high today in Haryana, as 7,717 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours.

In the past seven days alone (April 10-April 17), 36,353 cases were recorded, which is the highest so far for a week, with a rise of 11.5 per cent.

In the previous week (April 3-April 10), 17,212 cases were recorded, with a rise of 5.8 per cent.

The positivity rate jumped to 5.16 per cent today, while on April 10, it was 4.8 per cent and on April 3, it was 4.69 per cent.

The recovery rate has been slipping. It was 88.01 per cent today, while on April 10, it was 92.76 per cent and on April 3, it was 94.95 per cent.

The maximum fresh cases today were recorded from Gurugram at 2,549, followed by 987 from Faridabad, 646 from Sonepat, 507 from Hisar, 477 from Karnal and 349 from Panchkula.

Also, 32 deaths were reported today with five each from Panipat and Faridabad, three each in Hisar, Karnal and Rohtak, two each in Gurugram, Ambala, Panchkula, Palwal and Jind, and one each in Fatehabad, Yamunanagar and Kurukshetra.

The active cases in the state reached 38,558, with 406 on oxygen support and 94 on ventilators.

In the neighbouring Punjab and Chandigarh, the UK variant of Covid is blamed for the surge, but in Haryana only 12 out of 276 samples were found positive for the strain.

Director General Health Services Dr Veena Singh told The Tribune, “As of now, we can’t say the UK variant is responsible for the surge. We are awaiting the results of more samples. The reports are taking time. We will soon have our own lab at the PGIMS, Rohtak.”

At present, the samples have to be sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Delhi.

She added, “We have no shortage of beds, oxygen and Remsedivir. However, there was some pressure on hospitals for beds, but we will make the referral system stronger. We are focusing on the death rate, vaccination and awareness.”

“The testing has crossed 40,000. We have administered more than 31 lakh vaccine doses. To bring a decline, the testing and vaccination should be robust,” she said.

Meanwhile, due to rising cases, the state government has formed a state-level monitoring committee to monitor Covid-19 management in the state under Health Minister Anil Vij as chairman. Chief Principal Secretary to CM, Chief Secretary, DGP Haryana Police and ACS Revenue and Disaster Management will also be its members along with 12 more officials.

“The first meeting of the committee will be held on Monday at 3 pm in my office,” said Vij.

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