There were 1,555 new cases of infection, taking the total tally of persons testing positive for coronavirus to 49,378. (Representational)In less than a fortnight after registering the biggest single-day spike in Covid-19 deaths with 51 fatalities on August 17, Punjab again reported same number of deaths for the second time on Friday, driving up the state’s total death count to 1307.
There were 1,555 new cases of infection, taking the total tally of persons testing positive for coronavirus to 49,378.
As per the official media bulletin by the state government, there are 15,063 active cases in the state, 491 of them on oxygen support and 68 on ventilator support. Also, 33,008 patients have been discharged.
Twelve deaths were reported from Amritsar, eleven from Ludhiana, five each from Patiala and Jalandhar, two each from Fazilka, Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, Mansa, Sangrur and Tarn Taran and one each from Barnala, Bathinda, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Mohali and Nawanshahr.
Maximum new cases of infections were from Jalandhar (211), followed by Gurdaspur (182), Ludhiana (140), Faridkot (115) and Patiala (109).
Since the outbreak, Ludhiana district has reported maximum Covid-19 deaths (363), followed by Amritsar (149) and Jalandhar (148), Patiala (144) and Sangrur (83). Ludhiana has reported maximum cases of infection (10,237), followed by Jalandhar (6,030), Patiala (5,719), Amritsar (3,694) and Mohali (3,333).
Mohali has reported a total of 71 Covid-19 deaths, sixth highest from any district and Sangrur has reported 2,089 cases of infection, sixth highest among the districts.
SI dies in Ludhiana, ACP tests positive
A sub-inpsector from Ludhiana (Rural) police died due to coronavirus.
Sub-Inspector Gurbax Singh (50), died battling Covid, at SPS Hospital in Ludhiana, Thursday late. He was posted as Line Officer at Police Lines, Jagraon.
On August 14, he was admitted to SPS Hospital, after he tested positive and developed symptoms of respiratory distress.
Ludhiana (Rural) SSP Vivek Sheel Soni said that SI Gurbax Singh had taken medical leave some days before testing positive, as he wasn’t keeping well. “He wasn’t keeping well due to other health conditions and had taken leave. He had gone to his home in Ferozepur where he tested positive. He was shifted to SPS Hospital Ludhiana after his condition deteriorated,” said SSP. The cop was cremated with full honours at his native place in Ferozepur.
He was also suffering from diabetes and hypertension. This is the seventh casualty in Punjab Police due to Covid-19.
Three cops from Ludhiana city police also tested positive
PPS officer Mandeep Singh (53), posted as ACP (Crime-1), Ludhiana, tested positive. A senior constable from Haibowal police station and a home guard from division number 5 police station also tested positive.
–With ENS Ludhiana and Jalandhar