COVID: 100 deaths, 5,932 fresh cases in Punjab; biggest fatality count in 2021

CHANDIGARH: Punjab on Tuesday reported 100 coronavirus deaths, the biggest fatality count in a day this year, as 5,932 fresh cases took the state's infection count to 3,51,282, according to a medical bulletin.

So far, 8,630 people have died from the infection in the state.

The state had seen 106 deaths, its highest daily death number, in September last year.

On Monday, 98 people had lost their lives to the viral disease.

The number of active cases rose from 49,894 on Monday to 51,936, the bulletin said.

Seventeen people died in Amritsar, 13 in Ludhiana, 11 in Mohali and nine in Patiala, it said.

Ludhiana saw the maximum number of cases at 1,136, followed by 828 in Mohali, 636 in Bathinda, 565 in Jalandhar and 492 in Patiala.

A total of 3,774 coronavirus patients were discharged after recovering from the infection, taking the number of cured persons to 2,90,716, as per the bulletin.

There are 83 critical patients who are on ventilator while 677 are on oxygen support, the bulletin said.

A total of 70,54,436 samples have been collected for testing so far in the state, it said.

Meanwhile, the state government said during the night curfew from 6 pm till 5 am, all non-essential activities will be prohibited.

The weekend lockdown will start from 5 am on Saturday till Monday 5 am.

However, all essential activities will remain exempted, according to an official release.

Chemist shops and others dealing in the supply of essential items like dairy products, vegetables, fruits and the manufacturing industry have been exempted from the restrictions, subject to the adherence of the COVID protocols, it further said.

On Monday, the state government had ordered the closure of shops by 5 pm besides imposing a weekend lockdown and extending the night curfew by two hours.

Meanwhile, Chandigarh reported a record 837 fresh infections, taking its total count to 40,350.

With the death of six more persons, the fatality count reached 446 in the city, according to a medical bulletin.

The number of active cases was 5,980.

A total of 426 patients were discharged after they recovered from the infection, taking the number of cured persons to 33,924, as per the bulletin.

A total of 3,94,029 samples have been taken for testing so far, of which 3,52,598 tested negative while reports of 94 are awaited, it said.