23 dead, 687 +ve in Ludhiana
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, May 21
As many as 687 persons tested positive for Covid, while 23 lost their lives to the virus in the district today. Total positive cases from the district have now reached to 79,839, while 1,837 persons have lost their lives to the virus so far.
Those who tested positive include five cops and three healthcare workers. As many as 148 patients are still untraceable. As many as 13 men and 10 woman died of Covid. Out of the total deceased patients, seven belonged to rural areas and remaining were from urban areas.
As many as 57 patients were on ventilator support, out of them and 33 belong to Ludhiana. As many as 195 patients are admitted to government hospitals and 931 to private hospitals in Ludhiana district.
Meanwhile, the district administration will take stringent action against the hospitals which are taking advantage of the Covid-19 patients by overcharging them for treatment.
Deputy Commissioner, Varinder Kumar Sharma said if a hospital or a doctor exploits any Covid patient, the district administration will be forced to take very stringent action against them under the Epidemic Diseases Act. The government is empowered to shut the hospital or take control over the hospital. He said, “Complaints are being received regarding some private hospitals fleecing patients by charging above the rates that have been fixed by the government. If any hospital does so they would not be spared.”
State and district-level committees would soon conduct detailed audit of the treatments of Covid-19 patients done by private hospitals. Anyone can file a complaint on 104 helpline number of the Health Department and Deputy Commissioner’s office.
A total of 17,011 persons were vaccinated against Covid, out of which 9,511 belong to the 18-44 year category.
Initiative for newborn care
Deep Hospital here has announced to help Covid positive parents of newborn babies. Under the initiative, if the parents of a newborn are diagnosed with Covid and the baby doesn’t show any symptoms of the infection, the hospital will take care of the infant until the parents recover from the infection. Neonates born in any hospital in any part of the country will be covered under the special initiative. The hospital has so far allocated 15 beds for the same.
