The highest fatality rate of over 3 per cent, that too since more than four months, has left the Punjab authorities worried. Adding to their fears is the detection of new strain in samples sent from the State as the Covid-19 tally surpassed the two-lakh mark.

Punjab is already among the top six-seven states contributing more than 80 percent of the country’s total deaths every day due to Covid-19.

On Tuesday, the State reported a whopping 38 casualties due to the deadly contagion, pushing the State’s death toll to 6,137, at the case fatality rate of 3.05 per cent.

Highest number of fatalities was reported from Jalandhar where nine people lost their battle against the virus.

Besides, six deaths were reported from Ludhiana; four each from Amritsar, SAS Nagar (Mohali) and Nawanshahr; three each from Hoshiarpur and Patiala; two each from Muktsar and Gurdaspur; and one from Ferozepur.

Only a day before, the state Health and Family Welfare Minister had instructed all Civil Surgeons to motivate Covid-19 patients for early treatment at the health facilities. The Minister had attributed the high CFR to the “public negligence”.

As per the Health Department’s death review team, 77.90 per cent of cases of Covid-19 came for treatment in hospitals with severe symptoms at a late stage which is a major cause of higher CFR of State, 80 per cent of which were senior citizens.

A total of 1,475 fresh cases have been reported in Punjab in the past 24 hours with the positivity rate of 7.32 per cent, as the State conducted 20,164 tests — much less than the State’s capacity of more than 30,000 tests.

With this, the State’s Covid-19 tally now stood at 2,01,036, of which 12,616 are active cases — accounting for 6.28 per cent of the total caseload.

Among the fresh infections, highest 257 were reported from Hoshiarpur, followed by 245 from Ludhiana including three teachers and seven students, 197 from Patiala, 192 from Mohali, 132 from Nawanshahr, 121 from Jalandhar, 118 from Amritsar, among others.

Amidst a surge in Covid-19 cases, the Rupnagar District Administration has also announced to impose the night curfew — from 11 pm–5 am —until further notice. Almost a dozen of state’s districts, including Mohali, Ludhiana, Patiala, have already imposed night curfew and stringent restrictions to curb the spread of virus.

To check the further spread of virus, the State Government has been announcing a slew of measures. Besides imposing night curfews in some districts, the State Government had limited indoor gatherings to 100 persons and outdoor gatherings to 200. The Punjab School Education Board has also postponed its Class X and XII exams by a month due to a surge in Covid-19 cases. Besides, the schools and anganwari centres have also been closed down.

Patiala-based Thapar University has turned into a Covid-19 hotspot after 38 students tested positive. On Tuesday, more students tested positive from the university.

While the Amritsar District Administration has made it mandatory to carry a Covid-19 negative report to attend any gathering, the Ludhiana District Administration has made vaccination compulsory for people involved in essential services which include bankers, journalists, judicial officers, and employees of schools and food grain agencies besides the NGOs.

However, only half the health department staff has been immunised till now, and the rest were avoiding vaccination due to variety of reasons.

Till date, 2.06 lakh healthcare staff in the State has registered for Covid-19 vaccination programme, while only 1,12,683 received the first dose and 55,800 received their second shot of vaccine.

Now, the hospital staffers, who have refused to take vaccine, have been asked to get a mandatory RTPCR test done weekly before joining duty.

PUNJAB MULLING TO LIFT AGE BAR FOR COVID VACCINATION

Punjab Government may soon lift the age bar for the Covid-19 vaccination drive. “Punjab has enough vaccines to inoculate all age groups at the same time. Punjab is all set to lift the age bar for Covid vaccination drive. The State is seeking a sufficient amount of vaccination to provide to all age groups,” said a senior Government official.

NEW GUIDELINES SOON: MINISTER

With the new strain making its way into the State and daily Covid-19 cases and related deaths mounting every day, the State Government may anytime announce new guidelines or curbs to check the further spread of the disease. 

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu expressed his concern over the spike in cases, while maintaining that the experts Group may soon announce fresh guidelines, especially in the wake of the new strain.  Sidhu said that after 2,700-plus cases were reported in the State in the last 24 hours, we held a meeting with the Centre.

Notably, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh is also scheduled to attend the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.