Second person in Punjab to have died of coronavirus was also a 'granthi'

Chandigarh, March 30

Punjab has reported the second death due to coronavirus, officials said on Monday. He was in a close contact with the state's lone casualty Baldev Singh and both were ‘granthis’.

They had returned from Germany and Italy and mingled freely with the people despite advisory on landing at Delhi's IGI Airport on March 7 for isolation at home.

Harbhajan Singh, 62, died on Sunday night and was a resident of Hoshiarpur town. He was undergoing treatment at Government Medical Hospital in Amritsar.

Both -- Baldev Singh and Harbhajan Singh -- were 'granthis'.

Harbhajan Singh's wife, son and daughter-in-law and a neighbour have been undergoing coronavirus treatment at Hoshiarpur.

Medical history of Harbhajan Singh says he was diabetic and suffered from hypertension.

Deputy Commissioner Shivdular Dhillon told the media in Amritsar that Harbhajan Singh had travel history with Baldev Singh.

So far approximately 70 per cent of state's COVID-19 positive cases have been traced to 'super spreader' Baldev Singh, a resident of Banga town in Nawanshahr district who died owing to a heart attack, but was diagnosed to be coronavirus positive after his death.

Baldev Singh is suspected to have infected 27 people, comprising 14 of his family members.

Apprehending major outbreak, the state government has been closely monitoring through contact tracing Baldev Singh's acquaintances mainly in Nawanshahr, Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar districts, the hotbed of NRIs.

However, no new case of coronavirus has been reported in Punjab in the past two days. IANS

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