With sudden surge in the Covid-19 positive cases in Chandigarh, the recovery rate has declined to 16.9 percent in the city, lower than the national average of around 29 percent. Nine fresh cases were reported on Wednesday taking the total number to 124 in the city. Chandigarh, a joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, is declared as Coronavirus red-zone by the Central Government.
“Out of nine fresh cases, eight were reported from Bapu Dham colony and one from Sector 56 here. The total number of positive cases stood at 124 in the city,” as per the Chandigarh Health Department’s evening bulletin.
“The city has 102 active cases while 21 have recovered from the infection so far. One Coronavirus death has been reported. 1785 samples have been tested till evening,” the bulletin stated.
The densely populated Bapu Dham colony (BDC) in Sector 26 here continues to remain the epicenter of outbreak of highly contagious disease.
As per the mapping of positive cases, 66 cases have so far been reported from BDC followed by 20 from Sector 30. Five cases each have been reported in Sector 21 and Sector 33, three each in Sector 32, 37, 38 and 52 and two each in Sector 19, Sector 49, Dhanas among others.
The entire BDC in Sector 26 has been sealed to contain the spread of infection. Around 60,000 population in BDC is under containment zone.
After the first positive case of coronavirus from the BDC was reported on the night of April 24, this containment zone has seen an explosion of infected patients with number already crossing 60 and the reports of more infected people continues to pour in every day.
The Chandigarh Administration has so far declared six containment zones including entire BDC, part of Sector 30-B, Kacchi Colony, Dhanas, part of Shastri Nagar, Part of Sector 38 and Part of Sector 52 in the city.
While relaxations have been allowed during lockdown in the non-containment zones in Chandigarh from 7 am to 7 pm post May 4, the containment zones remain sealed and only government staff related to essential services are allowed to enter these areas. As a precautionary measure, 4469 residents have been put under home quarantine till now, out of which 2168 have completed the quarantine period.
Notably, the first coronavirus positive case in Chandigarh was reported on March 19.