With the rapid surge in the COVID-19 positive cases in the city, Punjab Raj Bhawan on Tuesday reported six positive cases including JM Balamurugan, Principal Secretary to Punjab Governor and UT Administrator, who is tested positive for the highly contagious virus for the second time.
Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore and his family have tested negative.
JM Balamurugan, a 1994 batch IAS, was earlier tested positive for COVID-19 in the month of August. “As per the protocol, regular COVID testing was conducted last week at the Punjab Raj Bhavan. All the employees including security personnel were tested for COVID-19. Out of 338 tests conducted, six persons including Principal Secretary to Punjab Governor were found to be positive. They have been immediately isolated,” said an official spokesperson.
All the protocols regarding the pandemic are being followed as per the Government of India’s guidelines in Raj Bhavan. Entry and meetings have been restricted at the Raj Bhavan for the time being, the spokesman added.
2 DEATHS, 79 CASES IN CHANDIGARH
The union territory of Chandigarh reported two COVID-19 fatalities as 79 fresh infections were detected on Tuesday. “The total positive cases stood at 16848 and the death toll reached 265,” stated Chandigarh Health Department’s evening bulletin. There were 1128 active cases in the city. With 66 patients being discharged including persons from home isolation in the last 24 hours, the total recoveries jumped to 15455, the bulletin stated. In the last 24 hours, a maximum of six positive cases were reported in Sector 28. 134281 samples have been tested in the city so far.
HARYANA REGISTERS 2329 CASES, 33 DEATHS
Haryana on Tuesday recorded 33 fatalities due to Covid-19 and logged 2329 fresh cases, the State health bulletin said. Five people were succumbed in Faridabad, four in Hisar, three in Gurugram, Rohtak, two each in Charkhi Dadri, Fatehabad, Jhajjar, Bhiwani, Sirsa, Yamunanagar,Panchkula and one each in Sonepat, Karnal, Jind and Nuh districts. While the death toll has climbed to 2249, the tally of people tested positive stands at 2,22,292 so far. Meanwhile, as many as 1,99,278 people have recovered from the infection in Haryana so far.
As many as 1943 patients recovered on Tuesday and the number of active Covid-19 cases rose to 20,765. Among the districts with the maximum number of new cases was Gurugram, where 822 infections were reported, followed by Faridabad 557, Hisar 164 and Rewari 117. There were 445 critical patients, including 392 on oxygen support and 53 on ventilators.