How Punjab was done in by ‘super spreaders’

Vinod Kumar | TNN | Updated: Apr 26, 2020, 12:23 IST

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has been making efforts for timely detection of positive novel coronavirus cases to break the chain, but Covid-19 has spread its tentacles in the state largely due to ‘super spreaders.’ As per data compiled by the Punjab health department, 58 infected individuals, out of total 308 cases, were traced and isolated before they could transmit the infection to others. In the remaining cases, positive patients went on to infect many people, in some cases in dozens, making the containment process difficult for the health authorities. Nearly half of the total Covid-19 positive cases have been recorded in last two weeks in Punjab and most of them are linked to the ‘super spreaders’ in different clusters.
Sample this: A 42-year-old panch of Jawaharpur village in Derabassi of Mohali district went on to transmit the infection to 37 people, including family members, close relatives and neighbours. He had been infected by a Tablighi Jamaat member.

Similarly, a resident of Nawanshahr district, the first person to have died of the virus in the state, after returning from aboard infected 27 people, including his family members and 17 cases are related to a Jalandhar-based vernacular newspaper. As many as 18 people tested positive in sub-urban Rajpura of Patiala district. The infection is said to have spread from a hookah party. The police later booked two persons for organizing the party.
A book supplier in Patiala transmitted the infection to 15 others while in Pathankot, a woman, another Covid-19 casualty, passed on the virus to 14 people, including her family members, neighbours and domestic help. A total of 19 cases are related to Tablighi Jamaat and 10 are their contacts.
To put a check on further spread of the infection, the local administrations sealed all the clusters falling in their respective jurisdiction and conducted mass testings. “After panch was tested positive, Jawaharpur was sealed and 200 tests were conducted in the village of which 37 came out positive,” said Mohali deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan.
Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said the majority of the cases have come from particular clusters and the state has managed to keep things under control. “Majority of the cases have been reported from few clusters and we have managed to put a check,” said Sidhu.
Highlighting the importance of early detection, Indian Medical Association (IMA) Punjab chapter president Dr Navjot Dahyia said the state government has started aggressively started testing people and has been able to contain the spread of the virus. “The strategy has started showing results with more and more people being traced before they transmit infection to others,” said Dr Dahyia.
In Punjab, a high percentage of asymptomatic people have tested positive and experts feel that infected people without symptoms might be the key reason for spread of coronavirus in the state.
Following the protocol issued by the central government, Punjab health authorities initially focused on screening people coming from virus-hit countries and tested only those who showed symptoms, including their family members. Later, it started testing people who came in their contact, symptomatic and asymptomatic, both. About 73% of the positive cases reported in Punjab did not have symptoms of carrying the virus.
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All Punjab clusters sealed to contain spread
To put a check on further spread of the infection, the local administrations sealed all the clusters falling in their respective jurisdiction and conducted mass testings. “After panch was tested positive, Jawaharpur was sealed and 200 tests were conducted in the village of which 37 came out positive,” said Mohali deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan.
Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said the majority of the cases have come from particular clusters and the state has managed to keep things under control. “Majority of the cases have been reported from few clusters and we have managed to put a check,” said Sidhu.
Highlighting the importance of early detection, Indian Medical Association (IMA) Punjab chapter president Dr Navjot Dahyia said the state government has started aggressively started testing people and has been able to contain the spread of the virus. “The strategy has started showing results with more and more people being traced before they transmit infection to others,” said Dr Dahyia.
In Punjab, a high percentage of asymptomatic people have tested positive and experts feel that infected people without symptoms might be the key reason for spread of coronavirus in the state.
Following the protocol issued by the central government, Punjab health authorities initially focused on screening people coming from virus-hit countries and tested only those who showed symptoms, including their family members.
Later, it started testing people who came in their contact, symptomatic and asymptomatic, both. About 73% of the positive cases reported in Punjab did not have symptoms of carrying the virus.