With no let up in novel coronavirus cases in Punjab, the state on Friday reported a total of 348 fresh cases besides nine deaths surfaced, pushing the state COVID-19 tally to 9,442, and death toll to 239. Among those who tested positive are 31 BSF (Border Security Force) personnel of the Sub Training Centre Kharkan Camp in Hoshiarpur, besides 13 cops, one Army official, tqo doctors, five jail inmates, one health official, and siz healthcare workers, among others.
Registering another spike, the state’s tally is now little short of 9500-mark, that comes a day after it crossed 9000. In fact, the state has recorded 41.02 percent of the total positive cases (3874) and 39.74 percent of the total deaths (95) in the month of July alone — reporting, on an average, 228 fresh cases and six deaths every day.
Nine more deaths were reported on Friday — one each from Ferozepur, Nawanshahr, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran and Amritsar, and two each from Ludhiana and Patiala.
Among the 21 of the 22 districts that reported fresh cases, Jalandhar reported the maximum at 78 followed by Ludhiana (62), Patiala (56), Hoshiarpur and Amritsar (34 each), Moga (15), SAS Nagar (14), Sangrur (11), seven each in Faridkot and Ropar, six each in Muktsar and Gurdaspur, Fazilka (4), three each in Pathankot and Kapurthala, two each in Bathinda and Mansa, one each in Ferozepur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Tarn Taran and SBS Nagar (Nawanshahr).
Of the total fresh cases, 121 have the contact history and 11 have the travel history, while 138 are the “new” cases with no travel or contact history. The state health authorities are yet to compile the details of cases from Jalandhar from where the maximum cases have been reported.
Among the new cases are 30 with Influenza-like Illness (ILI); 13 police personnel including four from Ludhiana, two from Faridkot, three from Moga, and two Fazilka; 10 from the out-patient department (OPD); six healthcare workers, one doctor each from Amritsar and Patiala, one health official from Mansa, one Army official from Amritsar, two mill workers, five jail inmates from Moga, and four with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI).
Meanwhile, 96 more patients were cured and discharged include 47 from Sangrur, four from Pathankot, 10 from Moga, one from Muktsar, six from Ferozepur, seven from Kapurthala, two from Barnala, six from Bathinda and 10 from Moga. With this, total 6,373 patients have been cured and discharged from various hospitals in the state.
The state now has 2,830 active cases of which 61patients are on oxygen support, and seven are critical and on ventilator support.
Of the 9,442 cases, the maximum number of cases have been reported from Ludhiana (1,695) followed by Jalandhar (1,545), Amritsar (1,194), Patiala (832), Sangrur (698), SAS Nagar (492), Gurdaspur (303), Pathankot (267), SBS Nagar (255), Hoshiarpur (246), Tarn Taran (222), Ferozepur (200), Fatehgarh Sahib (192), Faridkot (190), Moga (184), Bathinda (173), Muktsar (168), Ropar (151), Kapurthala (148), Fazilka (142), Barnala (79) and Mansa (66).
Of the total deaths, Ludhiana has reported 41, Jalandhar (33), Amritsar (60), Sangrur (21s), Patiala (15), SAS Nager (9), Gurdaspur (10), Pathankot (9), Tarn Taran (6), Hoshiarpur (7), SBS Nagar (2), Ferozepur (4), Faridkot (0), Muktsar (1), Fatehgarh Sahib (2), Moga (4), Bathinda (4), Kapurthala (7), Ropar (1), Fazilka (1), Barnala (2) and Mansa (0).
Meanwhile, Punjab Cabinet Minister Brahm Mohindra, his family, six IAS officers, officials of the state Information and Public Relations Department, and the Chief Minister’s media team have been tested negative for the COVID-19.
They have given their samples for testing at a special camp at Punjab Bhawan.
IAS officers, who have tested negative include A Venu Prasad, Hussan Lal, Vikas Pratap, Anurag Verma, Jaspreet Talwar and K Siva Prasad. Among PR officials team are Opinder Singh Lamba, Ajit Kanwal Singh, Navdeep Singh Gill, Iqbal Singh, Gagneet Singh and Kuljit Mianpuri.