Nine more succumb to virus in Ludhiana

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 11

Ahead of Janmashtami, the Health Department and the district administration were laying stress on avoiding crowd in temples as amid the pandemic, people need to change the way the festival is celebrated.

Meanwhile, nine persons lost their lives and 212 tested positive on Tuesday.

All those who lost their lives had comorbdities such as blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, obesity and neurological issues.

All deceased were between the age group of 60 to 80 years. Five men and four women lost their lives today. They belong to the Jassian, Haibowal, Basant Avenue, Daba Road, Shivala Road, Purana Bazaar, Ghalauti Road, Chandigarh Road and Sevakpur areas.

The 212 positive cases include 48 from flu corner, 75 contacts of positive persons, 17 from the OPD, seven police personnel, six healthcare workers, three domestic/international travellers, three pregnant women, two with SARI infection and 23 undertrials. Tracing of 28 cases is still under process.

To make sure that no Covid cases increase owing to ‘Janmashtami’celebrations, mass media teams of the Health Department sensitised all temples managements of the city to make sure to follow the guidelines.

Civil Surgeon Rajesh Kumar Bagga said the festival season was already underway. Janmashtami is also one of the biggest festivals which was being celebrated in a big way.

“We cannot stop people from celebrating festivals but in view of the pandemic we have to change the way we celebrate the festivals,” the Civil Surgeon said.

Dr Bagga said on this festival people visit temples to seek blessings of Lord Krishna due to which the temples get crowded and sometimes it gets tough for temple managements to control the crowd. However, in this crisis, everyone has to think about their and their loved ones safety and act accordingly.

Temples were asked to make sure to follow social distancing, thermal screening and hand sanitising at every entry points of temples and also sanitise surfaces that are touched frequently.

Dr Bagga also appealed people to celebrate the festival at their homes only and not to come outside for the safety of everyone.

Deceased’s kin shuttle between hospitals for bed

On Tuesday, relatives of a 48-year-old woman from Tibba Road had to take her from one hospital to another searching bed. However, she died in the afternoon. Amarjeet Singh, nephew of the deceased, said her aunt was having fever for the past four days and she took medicine from a nearby doctor in the locality.

“Today her condition deteriorated and I took her to the CMCH, which is near to their house. But bed was not available there. Afterwards, I took her to the DMCH. Bed was not available there also. Then I went to the ESI Hospital but I was refused on the main gate after I told them that she was having fever. Later, I took her to the Civil Hospital where the staff conducted her Covid test, the report of which arrived in 30 minutes and she was declared positive,” said Amarjeet.

He said he started from home at 9 am and got her aunt admitted at 3 pm and returned home.

“After around 4 pm, I got a call that my aunt has expired. Had she got the medical aid on time this could have been averted. It took me six hours to find a hospital for her,” he said.

Figures of Ludhiana district

Samples 73,973

Positive 5,524

Active cases 1,653

Deaths 187

COVID-19 Control Room

For home isolation 78147-64759

Ambulance problem 78143-63850

Hospital problem 62849-12553

General problem 62845-31852

Weblink where residents can check real time status of vacant and occupied beds in all hospitals: https://ludhiana.nic.in/notice/covid-19-bed-status-in-ludhiana-district/