Chandigarh’s Covid-19 positive cases are now spread across 50 different sectors and 17 villages in the periphery of the city.
After the city’s first case of Covid-19 (Coronavirus) was reported from Sector 21 on March 19, the tally has now crossed 1300-mark, with infections scattered across Chandigarh.
The mapping of Covid-19 cases done by Chandigarh Health Department reveals that a maximum of 277 positive cases have been reported from the densely populated Bapu Dham colony in Sector 26 here till August 7 in the city.
In the periphery areas, Manimajra has reported a maximum of 70 positive cases followed by 69 cases in Dhanas, 43 in Mauli Jagran, 30 in Ram Darbar, 25 in Burail, 21 each in Khuda Lahora and Daria.
In Sectors, a maximum of 42 infections were reported in Sector 45 followed by 41 cases in Sector 30 and 36 in Sector 41. Other Sectors which have reported high number of infections included Sector 32 with 34 positive cases, Sector 40 with 25 cases, Sector 38 with 24 cases, Sector 46 with 23 cases, Sectors 21 and 29 with 21 cases each, Sector 52 with 19 cases, Sectors 15 and 19 with 20 cases each, Sector 20 with 17 positive cases, Sectors 23 and 24 with 15 cases among others.
According to the data, 22 healthcare workers in PGIMER and 13 in GMCH-32 have so far been found infected with the virus.
With easing of lockdown restrictions from June onwards, the virus has spread its tentacles to many new localities in the city while till mid-June, Bapu Dham colony was seen as the hotspot for positive cases. The BDC was also demarcated as a containment zone in the month of April, however, the perimeter control was removed gradually by the month of July in all 20 pockets of the colony.
The mapping of 23 COVID-19 related deaths in the city shows a maximum of three fatalities have been reported from Bapu Dham colony.
Among more than 500 active cases currently in Chandigarh, Manimajra tops the list with 35 active cases followed by 29 in Dhanas and 23 cases in Sector 45. There are 302 active cases in Sectors, 178 in villages and colonies and 22 in GMCH-32 and PGIMER.
Due to the rapid surge in the number of persons found infected with the virus in the past one month, the recovery rate of COVID-19 patients in Chandigarh has declined to 59 percent against the national average of 67.98 percent. The fatality rate stood at 1.67 percent in the city.
Shockingly, in July alone, 608 positive COVID-19 cases have been reported in Chandigarh while a total of 440 COVID-19 cases were reported in around three months time period (March 19-June 30). The union territory has so far reported 323 cases in the month of August with the highest single-day spike of 64 cases recorded on August 5.
Notably, the first positive case of COVID-19 in Chandigarh, which is a joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, was reported on March 19. The positive cases had crossed 100-mark on May 4, 200-mark on May 19, 300-mark on June 2, 400-mark on June 20, 500-mark on July 8, 600-mark on July 14, 700-mark on July 19, 800-mark on July 23, 900-mark on July 27 and 1000-mark on July 30.
A curfew, which was imposed on March 24 in the city to ensure social distancing, was lifted on May 3 midnight by the Administration and a series of relaxations were announced under unlock phases starting June 1.
Currently, night curfew is imposed from 10 pm to 5 am in the city, odd-even system is re-introduced in several markets and the city's prime tourist spot-Sukhna Lake which draws large crowds is closed on weekends to stem the spread of COVID-19. Among other measures taken, the Administration has started rapid antigen testing, door-to-door survey to identify symptomatic patients and intensive challaning drive for violation of safety protocols.
At present, cinema halls, swimming pools, theatres, bars, spas, auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places are not permitted to open in the city.