Corornavirus: Punjab reports 2 fatalities, 75 new cases

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 4

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Punjab reported 75 new coronavirus cases and two fatalities in a span of 24 hours—-a development takes the state’s COVID-19 tally to 1,526 and death toll to 27.

Moga (28), Tarn Taran (16), Amritsar (13), Patiala (2), Mansa (2), Barnala (1), Muktsar (1), Gurdaspur (1), Fatehgarh Sahib (3), SBS Nagar (1), Sangrur (2), Fazilka (1), Ferozepur (1), Bathinda (1), Hoshiarpur (1) and Jalandhar (1), all reported new cases, Punjab’s evening COVID bulletin showed.

Jalandhar and Patiala both reported deaths. A 29-year-old man from Jalandhar’s Qazi Mohalla died at Chandigarh’s Post Graduate Institue of Medical Education and Research, where he was admitted. A death summary from the hospital showed he had pre-existing health problems—chronic kidney disease and hypertension.

The development takes Jalandhar’s death toll to five.

Also in Jalandhar, a 59-year-old man who was employed at Guru Nanak Mission Hospital tested positive.

This takes the district’s infection tally to 135.

A 39-year-old man died of coronavirus in Patiala on Wednesday, taking the district’s death toll to two. The patient was taken to Government Mata Kaushalya hospital in the morning, where he was declared brought dead.

Health authorities said his samples were taken on Tuesday and lab reports on Wednesday confirmed he had coronavirus. Patiala Health authorities said that rapid response teams had reached his residence to isolate his family members and other high-risk contacts.

Additionally, Patiala reported one another coronavirus case—a pilgrim.

Patiala reported four more cases later in the day, but these haven’t been added to the Punjab’s Wednesday tally.

Of Patiala’s five cases, one was a 19-year-old from Nabha. Two other cases were from Rajpura—a hotspot—and two from Patiala city.

There appeared to be a general dip in Punjab’s reporting of cases. Of 75 cases it reported, 36 were pilgrims, six were migrants, and 19 were contacts of previously diagnosed cases. 

Moga district reported 28 new cases, taking the district’s case tally to 56. At least two residents of the Moga district were admitted to hospitals outside the district.

Twenty people were pilgrims who recently returned from a pilgrimage to Hazur Sahib in Maharashtra’s Nanded and their family members. Seven were contacts of already diagnosed patients, the bulletin showed.

Authorities are awaiting information on one patient.

 More than 1,400 samples had been taken in the district for testing. Authorities said that they were still waiting for results of 700 people and were conducting random testing.

Amritsar reported 13 new cases, 12 of who were pilgrims. The new cases take Amritsar’s count to 231.

Tarn Taran reported 16 new cases, seven of whom were contacts of already diagnosed cases

Ferozepur and Fazilka both reported one case, both Nanded pilgrims. Ferozepur’s tally now stands at 43 and Fazilka’s at 39.

Muktsar each reported one new case.

Mohali case tally now stands at 96, although this has yet to be added to the official tally.

Muktsar district reported a new case, taking the district’s case tally to 65.

Sangrur reported two new cases, taking the district tally to 87.

Hoshiarpur’s one new case took the district tally to 89.

Amritsar has the most number of cases in Punjab at 231, followed by Jalandhar (134) and Ludhiana (124).   

Health department collects 22 coronavirus samples from Patiala Jail 

After an inmate tested coronavirus-positive, the district health department on Wednesday collected 22 samples from Patiala Central Jail.

The health team collected the samples of inmates and jail officials who had come in contact with Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, a gangster.

Jaggu, who was lodged at Patiala Central, was taken to Batala on a production warrant, where he tested positive on Tuesday.

In the wake of his result, a team—led by district epidemiologist Dr Sumeet— visited the jail on Tuesday. They traced the contacts—who had already been in touch with the gangster—before he left for Batala.

The inmates and staff of Patiala Central Jail are said to be on the risk of infection.