The worst-hit Gurgaon and Faridabad, both bordering Delhi, reported 180 and 228 fresh cases, respectively. Representational)
Haryana scaled yet another single-day peak Wednesday reporting 560 new Covid infections and 13 more fatalities, taking the total in the state to 8,832 cases and 130 deaths, respectively.
The worst-hit Gurgaon and Faridabad, both bordering Delhi, reported 180 and 228 fresh cases, respectively. Among the 13 Covid patients who died, five each were from Gurgaon and Faridabad, two in Sonipat and one in Karnal, all falling in the National Capital Region.
So far, Gurgaon and Faridabad have reported 51 and 43 fatalities, respectively. On Wednesday, the state made a correction in its record regarding Jind district, reducing the number of fatalities from four to three.
According to state’s Covid bulletin, there are 51 critical patients, including 37 on oxygen support and 14 on ventilators.
Besides Gurgaon and Faridabad, Sonipat reported 37 new patients. Other districts including Jhajjar (9), Ambala (4), Palwal (16), Panipat (4), Panchkula (2), Jind (6), Karnal (16), Yamunanagar (15), Sirsa (2), Fatehabad (4), Bhiwani (5), Hisar (19), Rewari (8), and Kurukshetra (5) too reported fresh infections.
While 204 patients were discharged in the last 24 hours, there were still 4,750 active patients. Seven districts have more than 100 active patients. They include Gurgaon (1,861), Faridabad (1,327), Sonipat (396), Rohtak (202), Palwal (112), Rewari (111) and Ambala (100).
With the continuing surge in cases, the positivity rate reached 4.59 per cent while recovery rate reached 44.75 per cent and case-doubling rate touched 10 days.
Vij orders survey to check community prevalence of Covid
Meanwhile, Health Minister Anil Vij said a sero-survey will be conducted in all the 22 districts of the state for a test named “Covid Kavach Elisa” to examine the community prevalence of coronavirus in the state.
A fortnight ago, the ICMR, the apex health research body in the country, had advised states to conduct the survey to assess the proportion of population, including asymptomatic individuals, exposed to coronavirus infection.
A sero-survey involves testing the blood serum of a group of individuals for the presence of antibodies against the infection to know who has been infected in the past and has now recovered.
“In the initial phase this survey will be started in NCR, hotspot areas and high-risk areas. Among them, priority will be given to blood screening of doctors, nursing staff, paramedical staff, police and other frontline workers of Gurugram, Faridabad and other districts of NCR,” Vij said.
Managing Director, Haryana Medical Services Corporation, Dr Saket Kumar said, “The entire cost of testing will be borne by the government”.
He added, “This test kit has been developed by the ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune and is completely indigenous. It has been used in 83 hotspot districts of the country. During this period, more than 26,400 people have been investigated, which has yielded positive results”.
CM, his deputy ask people to practice yoga
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his deputy Dushyant Chautala appealed to the people to practice yoga and ensure that it becomes part of their routine for a fit and ailment-free body. “While abiding by the rules of lockdown, we will have to follow the dictum, “Yoga from home with family” (‘Ghar se Yog, Parivar ke sath Yog’) given by Union Ministry of AYUSH”, Khattar said while giving a message for the sixth International Yoga Day that falls on June 21.
“British ruled the country for a long time, due to which yoga was practiced by sages and monks only and thereby didn’t reach the common man. But in the year 2014, a new revolution was initiated due to the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and yoga became an integral part of the lifestyle of people and thus this ancient practice was revived.
This year, we will not be able to organize yoga programmes at the state level like earlier, but we can celebrate International Yoga Day by staying at home and practicing yoga with our family”, Khattar added.
“Yoga is a way to make our lives more disciplined while at the same time is a source of positive energy and mental peace. To imbibe these qualities people should adopt – Mera Jeevan- Mera Yoga”.