Percentage of suspected coronavirus cases in Punjab testing positive thrice the national average

Karam Prakash
Tribune News Service
Patiala, March 28

The percentage of confirmed COVID-19 cases among the suspected patients in the state is three times higher than the national average.

Astoundingly, the state has a percentage of 7.5 positivity— when suspected cases were tested—while the national average is just 2.5 per cent.

This indicates the higher concentration of corona carriers, in the state than the rest of the country, say the experts. 

Besides, the higher positivity, experts said that this implies that there could be a slow rate of testing in the state as compared to the national figures, therefore, to “scale up” the testing is the need of the hour.

Of the 789 tested patients in the state, lab reports of 518 patients are already out.

As per the Punjab Health Department bulletin on March 27, of the 518 suspected 38 have already been tested positive for the deadly COVID-19—which amounts to 7.5% positivity.

This implies that every 13th suspected patient in Punjab is likely to be positive for the virus.

As per Indian Medical Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the country has tested 27,688 suspected patients, out of the 691 people—across the country—was tested positive, as on March 27—a positivity of 2.5 per cent only.  

However, the numbers of testing saw a rise only after ICMR pushed the states to go for more testing after a change in strategy on March 20. As per the revised strategy by ICMR, non-symptomatic people, who have been in direct contact with positive patients were to be tested along with all symptomatic patients.

People are not cooperating

It is pertinent to mention that hundreds of people, who have returned from foreign countries, have started living at a new address to escape themselves from the health department’s surveillance.    

A health department official, on the condition of anonymity, said: “We have already scaled up testing. However, people, who had returned from a foreign land, are continuously hiding to avoid 14 days home quarantine. They should follow the guidelines – strictly.”

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