Daily spike in cases prompts authorities to ramp up testing in Jalandhar

Ajay Joshi
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, March 13

Amid the recent spurt in the coronavirus cases in the district and surging fatality rate, increased testing is being done to ensure that the spread of the virus is contained.

In this regard, the daily spike of 200-250 Covid-19 positive cases has prompted authorities to escalate Rapid Antigen and RT-PCR tests. For the last fortnight, several mobile units have been put into action to intensify the tests.

Dr Manav Middha, Covid sampling in-charge, Civil Hospital, said approximately 3,500-4,000 RT-PCR tests are being conducted in the district for the past over one week.

“As many as 42 testing centres have been set up for Covid tests. While 25 units are covering urban areas, the remaining are in rural areas,” he said.

While the rate of infection started scaling up in February last week, in the last two weeks, the daily cases have shown a rising trend. While on March 1, the active positive cases remained 57 only with no deaths, the total number of Covid positive cases were 193 on Saturday. So far this month, the highest daily spike was reported on March 4 with 270 cases and five deaths. Moreover, the death rate was highest on March 8 with eight deaths.

A mobile unit for conducting RT-PCR test consists of two doctors, a pharmacist and a worker. Dr Rupali, who along with Dr Kamal has been stationed at the Civil Hospital near the entrance, said: “Everyday nearly 200 people submit their swab samples to us for the RT-PCR tests. The numbers have increased from the last week. The samples are sent to the Government Medical College Faridkot and Northern Regional Diseases Diagnostic Laboratory (NRDDL), Jalandhar, daily. While residents sometimes remain reluctant to get their RT-PCR tests done, people, in order to avoid any travel restrictions mostly provide their samples. With no end in sight to the pandemic and no sign of cases going down, we are trying to cover as many people as we can. Reports of the samples are provided on the listed phone numbers of the individuals the next day.” As per the sources at the Civil Hospital, the officials are trying to meet the daily target of RT-PCR tests.

3 die, 209 test positive in Hoshiarpur district

The tally of Covid positive patients reached 10,018, after 209 persons tested positive in Hoshiarpur district on Saturday. With the death of three patients, the toll reached 404.

Civil Surgeon Dr Ranjit Singh said the number of active cases in the district is 1,074, while 8,935 patients have recovered so far. Of today’s 209 positive cases, 16 are from Hoshiarpur city and 193 are from other health blocks of the district. On Saturday, two patients of the district died at Jalandhar hospitals and a 42-year-old patient died at his home in Guraya village. — OC