22 new positive cases take count up to 102

Mehak Jain | TNN | May 2, 2020, 07:29 IST

Ludhiana: Twenty-two Covid-19 positive cases were reported in Ludhiana on Friday. They include 16 pilgrims from Hazur Sahib, Nanded. “The six others are being identified,” said deputy commissioner Pradeep Aggarwal.
Their samples were sent to virology laboratory of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, on Thursday evening.
The deputy commissioner said, “Samples of more than 180 people were sent for testing on Thursday. They included migrant labourers from Rajasthan, contacts of Kota students, devotees from Hazur Sahib and patients from civil hospital flu corner. Of them 22 have tested positive. While 16 of them have been housed at Meritorious School, six others are being traced.”
“As per government instructions, all others who have tested negative will be kept at quarantine camps for 14 days,” he added.
With this, the positive case count of the district has gone up to 102, including one each from Jalandhar, Barnala and Ferozepur.
There are 32 more suspected cases at Meritorious School isolation ward, Civil Lines, who are yet to be tested.
On Friday afternoon, bus drivers refused to take the 32 suspected cases, all pilgrims from Nanded, to the civil hospital for Covid-19 test despite repeated requests. The authorities tried their best to persuade the drivers and asked them to take proper precautionary measures by wearing PPE kits.
A patient from Jagraon said, “We were brought to the Meritorious School isolation ward on Thursday evening. It’s been a day, but we have not been tested.”
Amarinder Singh Malhi, SDM (west) and facility in charge of Meritorious School, said, “There is fear psychosis, and everyone is scared. The authorities later sorted out the matter by arranging transport facilities.”
On facilities, he said, “We are providing three meals a day and trying to make the stay as comfortable as possible.”
Civil surgeon Dr Rajesh Bagga said, “Samples of more than 400 people have been sent in the past two days. They include migrant labourers, contacts of Kota students and devotees from Hazur Sahib. As many as 163 patients were admitted to Meritorious School isolation ward. Of them, eight had tested positive on Thursday and were went sent to civil hospital. Two others too were admitted there due to other health issues.”