Witnessing a surge in the number of coronavirus cases for the past several days, Punjab’s Covid-19 tally on Sunday surpassed the 10,000-mark as the state reported 310 fresh cases in the past 24 hours. As many eight more people have succumbed to the contagion pushing the State’s death toll to 254, against 10,010 total positive cases.
Congress MLA from Tarn Taran Dr Dharambir Agnihotri is among the fresh cases reported on Sunday, besides nine cops — four in Sangrur, three in Mohali and two in Amritsar, two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel from Fazilka, among others.
Ludhiana, which is already leading in the highest number of cases across Punjab with total 1,843, has recorded whopping 76 fresh infections, followed by 60 in Jalandhar, 40 in Patiala, 28 in Amritsar, 25 in Mohali, 13 in Ferozepur, 12 in Sangrur, seven each in Pathankot, SBS Nagar and Tarn Taran, five each in Fazilka, Moga and Fatehgarh Sahib, four each in Mansa, Faridkot and Kapurthala, three in Gurdaspur, two in Muktsar, and one each in Barnala, Hoshiarpur and Rupnagar.
Among the deaths, Ludhiana reported the highest four, besides two in Hoshiarpur and one each in Amritsar and Mohali.
As many 99 cases reported on Sunday have the contact history while 15 have the travel history, even as the state health authorities are yet to compile the details of cases in Ludhiana, Amritsar, and Patiala. Among the remaining cases, 96 have no travel or contact history, and categorized as “new” cases.
Top three districts in terms of number of positive cases and deaths — Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar — accounts for 48 percent of the state’s total cases and 56 percent of the total casualties in the State.
Ludhiana continued to topped the Covid-19 tally with 1,843 cases, followed by 1,676 in Jalandhar, 1,253 in Amritsar, 921 in Patiala, 733 in Sangrur, 541 in Mohali, 310 in Gurdaspur, 275 in Pathankot, 265 in SBS Nagar (Nawanshahr), 260 in Hoshiarpur, 229 in Tarn Taran, 228 in Ferozepur, 201 in Fatehgarh Sahib, 200 in Faridkot, 199 in Moga, 177 in Bathinda, 172 in Muktsar, 159 in Rupnagar, 154 in Fazilka, 153 in Kapurthala, 80 in Barnala, and 71 in Mansa.
Amritsar with 64 deaths tops the list, followed by 46 in Ludhiana, 33 in Jalandhar, 21 in Sangur,15 in Patiala, 11 in Mohali, 10 each in Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur, nine in Pathankot, among others.
As many 81 patients were discharged after they recovered from the infection on
Sunday, taking the total number of recovered patients to 6,535. With this, there are 3,311 active cases in the State, of which 10 are critical and on ventilator while 63 are on oxygen support.
ANOTHER CONG MLA TESTED POSITIVE, TOTAL THREE
In all three Congress legislators, including the Cabinet Minister, has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Punjab till date. A day after Phagwara MLA Balwinder Dhaliwal was tested positive, Tarn Taran’s MLA Dr Dharambir Agnihotri also found to be afflicted by the contagion on Sunday.
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has wished both of the MLAs a speedy recovery. “My colleagues @INCPunjab MLA Phagwara, Balwinder Dhaliwal ji & MLA Tarn Taran @DrDharambir ji have tested positive for #Covid19.
Wishing them a speedy recovery,” tweetd the Chief Minister.
Already the state Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa had tested positive for the virus, followed by his wife and son. Bajwa was the first Minister to have contracted the infection.
Taking note, the Chief Minister had asked all the Ministers, officers and everyone, who are in public dealing, to get their tests done.
2 SECURITY GUARDS AT CM RESIDENCE TEST POSITIVE
Two security guards posted at Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s official residence in Chandigarh’s Sector-2 have tested positive. As per the initial reports, Capt Amarinder was not in contact with them as he has been staying at his personal farmhouse near Chandigarh. However, their contact tracing is being done.