Pathlawa, Punjab’s first Covid hotspot, now infection-free

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 20

Two months after the last positive patient from the village was reported, Pathlawa today got a reason to celebrate as the administration removed all containment zone restrictions from the village.

The DC, accompanied by a district team, removed all barriers in the village put in place for the past two months to restrict villagers’ movement. The village, which reported the first death in the state, was today declared Covid-free.

To celebrate the occasion, a ‘jattha’ of 12 villagers set out to donate ration worth Rs 15 lakh at the Golden Temple in Amritsar as a gesture of thanksgiving to the Almighty.

As many as 16 patients were reported from Pathlawa, of whom one died and rest discharged. The last positive case was reported on March 26. A bus with members of the Bhai Ghanaiya Trust and Ek Noor Swai Sevi Sanstha headed off to Amritsar with ration to be used for langar at the Golden Temple.

Nawanshahr DC Vinay Bublani said, “All containment restrictions from Pathlawa village, the first hotspot of the state, have been removed. However, all safety measures are being taken to keep the virus at bay.”