In 42% cases, source of infection untraced in Punjab : The Tribune India

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Vishav Bharti/Manmeet Singh Gill
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 11

The source of infection in 42 per cent cases reported in the last 10 days in the state remains untraced.

According to information compiled in state media bulletins, a sudden spike has been witnessed in the number of cases in the last 10 days. It was the time when travelling norms were relaxed and a large number of people started coming to the state either from abroad or other states.

Fear of community spread

In Amritsar, 63 influenza-like illness cases among total 122 cases have been reported since June 4
Community spread in the district seems to have already begun and could be the reason for the recent spike in cases
In the same period, only two persons with travel history, 46 with contact history and 11 asymptomatic cases have been reported
The district has reported the highest number of 527 positive cases till date

Since June 1, total 456 Covid-19 cases have been reported. But the fact that remains worrying is that 196 cases have been reported as new cases, which neither had any travel history nor their source of infection could be traced. It makes around 42 per cent of the total cases in the last 10 days.

The bigger worry is infected people, including prisoners, policemen, health professionals and municipal workers, whose contact history remains untraced.

A majority of such cases include those who self-reported to hospitals with flu-like symptoms and later were found to be positive.Before May most of the cases reported from the state either had travel history or were contact of already reported positive cases.

Apart from that there are areas like Amritsar that has witnessed a sudden spike in cases. In Amritsar 63 influenza-like illness cases among total 122 cases have been reported since June 4. The community spread in the district seems to have already begun and could be the reason for the recent spike in cases. In the same period only two persons with travel history, 46 with contact history and 11 asymptomatic cases have been reported.

The district has reported the highest number of 527 positive cases till date. With 13 deaths so far, the district has the highest number of Covid-19 casualties in the state. In Amritsar a change in pattern has been witnessed in the last week of May when locals with no travel or contact history started testing positive.

Story Highlights

Total samples tested: 1,54,498
Positive: 2,887
Cured: 2,259

While the number of cases in the city is increasing, Medical Education and Research Minister OP Soni attributed the rise to increased testing. Soni claimed that around 1,000 samples from the district were being tested every day which was the reason why more positive cases were being reported.

The emerging situation has caused panic among the residents and increased trouble for health teams out to collect samples of residents in the two containment zones in the district. Many residents in the Bambay Wala Khoo area refused to give swab samples and cooperate with visiting health teams.

However, experts feel that the situation is still under control in the state. A former head of School of Public Health, PGI, Chandigarh, said the recent hike in cases was mainly due to the increase in testing capacity, which had gone up to 9,000. “We use tests for diagnostic purpose as well as for surveillance. The state is now using testing for surveillance,” he said.

Covid-19 Cases
DiSTRICT-WISE COUNT