Jalandhar brings 24 areas under containment plan

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 13

A massive containment plan has been introduced in the district, which witnessed 24 positive cases and two deaths (one suspected) so far. As many as 4,868 persons have been quarantined and 530 sampled. Twenty-four areas have been brought under the containment plan.

In view of the rise in cases, the administration has turned the Punjab Institute of Medical Science (PIMS), a meritorious school and an engineering institute into isolation centes in case the Civil Hospital’s emergency runs out of beds.

Three congested market areas, two villages and a university near the city have already reported cases of Covid. Doaba’s new hotspots include Mitha Bazaar, Lal Bazar, Nijatam Nagar, Narayan Nagar, Maqsudan, Kotla Heran (Shahkot) and Kartarpur. The staff of various private hospitals have also been put under complete or partial quarantine.

One of the patients who tested positive today is a media professional. While the Civil Hospital has a 315-bed isolation centre, a 1,420-bed back-up has also been arranged across the PIMS (400 beds), meritorious school (500 beds), National Institute of Technology (NIT) (500 beds) and an IMA-arranged isolation unit at Billi Chuharami village (20 beds).

Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar, Varinder Sharma said, “We have a 1,735-bed back-up to fight any eventuality. As many as 24 areas are under our containment plan and isolated places like meritorious school, NIT and PIMS have been shortlisted for isolation zones. Four patients have recovered so far.”