With Covid-19 cases witnessing surge across various parts of the country, the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research has witnessed 100 per cent increase in positive cases over the past ten days.
“The numbers of Covid-19 cases had been consistently diminishing since sometime and were stable for over a month. However, the trend has reversed recently with numbers again rising on a daily basis and there has been a surge of admitted patients from 30 to 57 over last week, making it 100 percent increase in Covid 19 positive here in PGIMER,” said Prof GD Puri, Dean (Academics) & Head, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, PGIMER.
Prof Puri was assessing the present situation of Covid-19 in PGIMER along with Prof Ashish Bhalla and Dr Inder Pal Singh.
A 250-bedded Nehru Hospital Extension building in PGIMER was earmarked as COVID hospital last year. Till January 16, the PGIMER had taken care of about 2700 seriously ill COVID-positive patients, 7700 suspected COVID patients in various isolation wards and clinically screened more than 12,000 patients in special screening OPDs across the institute. In January, the COVID cases had decreased in various parts of the region.
Expressing his concern over the consistent rise in the severe and moderate cases of COVID-19 over the last few days here at PGIMER, he said, “COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. With mask use down and mobility up, we are definitely contributing to accelerate the rise in COVID-19 cases.”
Earnestly urging healthcare workers and other eligible people to get vaccinated at the earliest, Prof Puri said, “ The peerless and fearless frontline warriors have confronted the challenge of COVID-19 so bravely, so why this hesitancy for vaccination when it is vital for their safety considering their vulnerability due to the exposure at the job. In fact, who knows more than the healthcare workers how deadly COVID-19 can be.”
VACCINATION COVERAGE ONLY 26 PER CENT IN CHANDIGARH
The overall COVID-19 vaccination coverage stood at 26 percent in Chandigarh on Thursday. Since the beginning of vaccination drive on January 16, a total of 20540 healthcare workers and frontline workers have been inoculated in the city.
As per Administration’s data, 12132 healthcare workers against the target of 46378 and 8408 frontline workers against the target of 33620 have been inoculated in Chandigarh.
Till now, 10654 healthcare workers against the target of 24516, accounting for an achievement rate of 43.09 percent and 8408 (35 percent) frontline workers against the target of 23584 have received the first dose of vaccination. Apart from this, 1568 HCWs have received the second dose of vaccination till date.
On Thursday, 1990 beneficiaries against the target of 7675 had turned up at various sites to get a shot of vaccination in the city, accounting for an achievement rate of only 25 percent. 961 healthcare workers against the target of 4172 and 939 frontline workers against the target of 3503 were inoculated.
49 FRESH CASES IN CHD
The union territory of Chandigarh on Thursday reported 49 fresh COVID-19 cases. The active cases increased to 279 in the city. The total tally stood at 21590 in the city, according to the Chandigarh Health Department’s evening bulletin. 20 patients have recovered in the past 24 hours taking the total number of recoveries to 20960, it stated. 2.50 lakh samples have so far been tested in the city and 1681 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours.