Jaffarpur villagers say no to Covid test

Tribune News Service

Nawanshahr, August 27

Residents of Jaffarpur village here refused to give their samples to the health team after two deaths were reported in the village due to Covid-19. Residents said the Health Department was not efficient enough to save lives and they had no faith in the system. After deaths were reported, the health team had gone to the village to take samples of the residents, but they refused and gave it in writing that if they observed any symptom, they would get themselves tested on their own.

Sarabjit Jaffarpur, former sarpanch of the village, said he had no trust on the test results. “One of the persons in our village was tested positive while his family members who were living with him were negative, how is this even possible? We doubt whether the reports are correct,” he said, adding that it was because of such instances they decided not to go for test.

They said in case they felt the need to get tested, they would do it on their own. The former sarpanch said two villagers died due to the negligence of the health teams and poor health infrastructure.

“The first death reported was of a 72-year-old, but strangely nobody in his family contracted the virus. I don’t get this. It is said the virus gets transmitted if a person comes in close contact with another person. How come his family members didn’t contract the virus?” he asked. About second Covid positive patient who died later, he said he was not attended properly at the hospital where he had gone for treatment and he died in the evening.

The residents said they did not trust the health system and would stand by their decision.

197 +ve in Jalandhar

As many as 197 persons tested positive for Covid in the district on Thursday, taking the tally to 5,886. With two more deaths, the death toll reached 147. Many bank officials among other residents tested positive for the virus on Thursday. In Kapurthala, two Covid patients died and 37 tested positive. The deceased include a 55-year-old woman from Dayalpur village admitted to Civil Hospital, Jalandhar, and later shifted to GMC, Amritsar. She had diabetes. The second deceased was a woman (55) from Jabbowal admitted to a private hospital in Jalandhar. She had history of cancer. TNS

2 deaths in Hoshiarpur

The district received 103 new positive cases on Thursday, taking the tally to 1,327. With two more deaths, the toll reached 35. Civil Surgeon Dr Jasvir Singh said 1,100 persons with suspected flu-like symptoms were tested. Out of 103 cases found positive on Thursday, 46 are from Hoshiarpur city, two from Hajipur, three from Budhawar, 13 from Mukerian, four from Harta Badla, nine from Tanda, nine from Dasuya, four from Chakkowal, five from Talwara, one from Garhshankar 1 and seven from other districts. A 60-year-old Jalalpur resident died at the Military Hospital, Jalandhar, while Sudha Singh (76) of Garhshankar died in Mohali. OC