Back from Hazur Sahib, 8 pilgrims test positive in Kapurthala, Tarn Taran

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 27

After eight pilgrims, who returned from Hazur Sahib in Nanded, were tested positive in Kapurthala and Tarn Taran, the government has sent all returnees in quarantine facilities.

Tarn Taran district was in green zone so far, but it today reported five positive cases. All patients, aged between 45 and 62, are residents of Sursingh village along the Indo-Pak border, had gone to Hazur Sahib to pay obeisance. They returned today in the buses sent by the state government to Maharashtra to get back stranded pilgrims. The patients have been admitted at the isolation ward of the local civil hospital. The administration has sealed the village. According to another report, a woman who gave birth to a child at the civil hospital, has been tested Covid positive.

Apart from that, three persons from Kapurthala, who too returned from Nanded on Sunday, have been tested positive for Covid-19. All three, an 11-year-old girl, her 38-year-old father and 58-year-old grandmother, are members of a family of six, who were kept at the isolation centre in Phagwara. They have now been shifted to the isolation unit at Kapurthala.

As many as 11 pilgrims had arrived at Kapurthala yesterday. Another 14, who arrived today, have been placed under isolation at Bebe Nanki Sarai, adjoining Ber Sahib Gurdwara at Sultanpur Lodhi.

Civil Surgeon Dr Jasmeet Bawa said, “All pilgrims are being placed under isolation immediately on their arrival.”

The total positive cases in Kapurthala has now risen to three. The district had been declared Covid-free only yesterday after the discharge of the LPU student.

Meanwhile, the state government has instructed all deputy commissioners to keep pilgrims returning from Hazur Sahib in quarantine facilities. The order was issued by Principal Secretary, Health, Anurag Aggarwal, after it was found that the five positive cases in Tarn Taran were asymptomatic.

As per the department, so far samples of 15,516 suspected cases were sent for testing. Of these, 12,333 samples were found negative and the reports of 2853 were awaited.

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Laboratories start clearing backlog

• Taking cognisance of The Tribune report on laxity in testing, the government on Monday took up the matter with three government laboratories
• Following this, the laboratories have started clearing the backlog. Over 3,500 samples are pending in the state till Sunday
• Sources say senior functionaries held a videoconferencing with the nodal officers, who were told to expedite the tests

Faridkot 3

Barnala 2 1

Fatehgarh Sahib 2

Gurdaspur 1 1

Muktsar 1

Ferozepur 1

Total 330 19

Box

Total tested samples 15516

Negative 12333

Reports Awaited 2853

Positive cases: 330

Cured: 98

Deaths: 19