As per the Saturday bulletin, there are 657 active cases, results of 2,639 are awaited. A total of 32 Covid patients have died in the state so far, and out of 50,613 samples taken, 46,028 have tested negative. (Representational)
Four people from Kapurthala district who had returned from Dubai and landed at Amritsar International Airport were among the 14 new cases of novel coronavirus reported from Punjab on Saturday, taking the tally to 1946.
Kapurthala Civil Surgeon Dr Jasmeet Kaur Bawa said two of the four who tested positive were asymptomatic, including a pregnant woman.
Dr Bawa also said that among the samples taken, there were persons who were symptomatic, but tested negative for novel coronavirus.
As per the media bulletin released by Punjab government on Saturday, 952 patients were “cured” and discharged on Saturday, taking the total of cured to 1,257, from 305 till Friday.
An official of the Punjab Health and Family Welfare department said that as per the new guidelines from Centre, as many as 950 patients (including 850 pilgrims from Nanded) who had tested positive but were asymptomatic, were discharged and sent home. “They have been asked to isolate themselves at home and report in case symptoms appear in a week. The health department will then take a call,” said the functionary.
As per the Saturday bulletin, there are 657 active cases, results of 2,639 are awaited. A total of 32 Covid patients have died in the state so far, and out of 50,613 samples taken, 46,028 have tested negative.
First autopsy of Covid patient to be held in Punjab
Meanwhile, in a first such case in Punjab, doctors will be performing an autopsy on the body of a coronavirus patient — a 15-year-old boy who was allegedly murdered. His body was found on May 12 in Ludhiana. He tested positive posthumously Saturday.
While the autopsy was scheduled for Saturday, it could not happen due to lack of legal documents. Dr Rohit Rampal, nodal officer, mortuary, Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, said, “Our team was ready to do it today but police did not have some documents. We had also called some forensic experts and autopsy will be done taking all precautions.”
As per MoHFW guidelines on handling bodies of Covid patients, “autopsies should be avoided” but “if performed for special reasons, infection control practices should be followed…lungs could be infectious”.
Meanwhile, the cremation of another unidentified body, which was found on the railway tracks in Ludhiana and tested positive, could not be held Saturday as “other cremations were lined up at Dholewal gas crematorium”.