With 68 positive patients and seven deaths, the mortality rate in Punjab so far stands at 10.2 per cent. (Rerpesentational Image)
A 69-year-year old Ludhiana resident and a 75-year-old from Pathankot’s Sujanpur succumbed to coronavirus infection on Sunday, taking the COVID-19 death toll in Punjab to 7. With 68 positive patients and seven deaths, the mortality rate in Punjab so far stands at 10.2 per cent.
The 69-year-old was from Ludhiana’s Shimlapuri area and had gone to her niece’s house in Mohali on March 17 via a Volvo bus. She developed symptoms around March 23 in Mohali itself, and was rushed to Ludhiana by ambulance on March 31. Her family then got her admitted in Ludhiana’s Fortis Hospital.
Dr Rajesh Bagga, Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana said, “Woman was diabetic, hypertensive and even heart patient as well. She was on a ventilator.”
She had fever, cough, loose stools when she was admitted in Fortis Hospital on March 31 and on April 5, she had a cardiac arrest at 2 pm and was declared dead at 2.30 pm, a statement by health authorities said. The woman’s two contacts in Mohali had also tested positive on Saturday.
Earlier, a 42-year-old woman of Ludhiana’s Amarpura had died on March 30. She was declared COVID-19 positive only after her death.
The Pathankot woman who died at the Government Medical College, Amritsar, had been referred there on Saturday from Civil Hospital, Pathankot due to existing complications.
Another Tabligh member tests positive
A 55-year-old resident of Rajgarh village in Ludhiana’s Doraha area tested positive on Sunday. He had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event at Nizamuddin. With this, total Tablighis who have tested positive in Punjab till now are 6.
On Friday, five Tablighis had tested positive — three from Mansa and two from Mohali. Punjab Government revealed that a total of 432 people from Punjab had attended Jamaat event in Nizamuddin out of which 422 had been traced. 350 are in Punjab as of now, all have been tested with six returning positive results, 117 negative results and results of 227 are pending.
Meanwhile, 11 contacts of Ludhiana patient, who tested positive Sunday, have been quarantined and tested as well.
Mohammad Mustkeem, political secretary to Shahi Imam Punjab in a video message to Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh said,”We ourselves are asking all those who attended Jamaat to get themselves tested and even have also sent a few to hospital as well. But few anti-social elements are sending cops to houses of those who have had no connection with Markaz and they never visited it for more than two years. Hence, such malicious campaign should be stopped and persons behind this campaign should be booked.”
Punjab government through its twitter handle stated,”Some persons are spreading malicious rumours about specific religions and sects spreading the virus. The Government of Punjab appeals to the people to report any such message to the police immediately and refrain from sharing it with others. The spread of the virus is without prejudice to any race, religion, sex, caste or creed. We must all stand together as one to fight it.”
Barnala reports its first patient
A 42-year-old woman living on Sekha road in Barnala district of Punjab tested positive Sunday afternoon. This is the district’s first case.
Dr G B Singh, Civil Surgeon, Barnala said,”She is the first patient from Barnala and we are tracing her contact history and travel history as well. Woman was living in a rented accommodation while her husband works with a textile firm, Trident, at its Dhaula branch. It needs to be mentioned that two more tenants live in the same building where woman, her husband and their daughter were living. Owner of the house owns an IELTS institute in Barnala and stays in Germany. He frequently visited Punjab and last time, he went back a month ago, revealed information. Sources said that woman had visited Chandigarh before the Janata curfew. Her husband had not been going to Trident since March 22 and hence he was not in contact with any of the staff member of Trident, revealed Barnala district administration.
With Barnala reporting its first patient, now out of total 22 districts of Punjab, 12 have been COVID-19 affected. This is the third district of south-west Punjab to report coronavirus cases.
(With inputs from Kamaldeep Singh Brar in Amritsar)