Covid helpline for pregnant women

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 7

Covid positivity among pregnant women has emerged as a new concern for the state. During a recent screening of rural areas, 292 pregnant women have been reported as positive.

Of these, 231 have been discharged and 61 cases are still active. The state has now set up a helpline in Chandigarh for pregnant women.

Dr Areet Kaur, Mission Director, National Health Mission, said daily monitoring of active cases was being done from the state headquarters.

The helpline numbers — 0172-2744041 and 2744040 — will be operational from 9 am to 5 pm every day.

According to experts, pregnant women were already immunocompromised, making the number of cases a worry.

The cases were discovered when under Punjab Government’s Corona Mukt Pind Abhiyan, a door-to-door screening programme, was launched on May 21. Till June 5, over 1.72 crore persons or nearly 60 per cent of state’s total estimated population had been screened.

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Rising mortality

In April, six pregnant women died due to Covid, while in May, 20 lost their life