Outstation people move to Panchkula, Mohali for testing

Gaurav Kanthwal

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, June 16

The rising Covid cases in states such as Gujarat, Mumbai, Delhi and the subsequent delay in testing and treatment there is forcing people to look for help elsewhere. Many such persons have sought help from their relatives in Panchkula, Mohali and peripheral areas to find a suitable accommodation for them.

Panchkula, Mohali, Kharar and Dera Bassi have been witnessing such cases and doctors expect a sharp spike in this trend in the coming months.

Jasjeet Kaur, Civil Surgeon, Civil Hospital, Sector 6, said, “Almost all outstation cases reported from Panchkula are like this. If you see the trend, all cases are from places where the number of cases is more.”

Of the 29 outstation positive cases reported from Panchkula so far, 15 are from the Delhi-NCR, five from Gujarat and four from Mumbai.

Medical teams involved in contact-tracing, isolation and quarantine process confirmed that in some cases people “already knew their condition”.

A 22-year-old girl, who had tested positive for Covid-19 in Kalka yesterday, was living in a rented accommodation in Housing Board Colony arranged by her sister. The girl, who was studying in Delhi, came here by train on June 12. Her samples were collected on June 13.

In another case in Panchkula, a girl married in Delhi returned to her parents only to test positive. Later, her in-laws were also found infected.

One person from Delhi gave an incorrect address of Industrial Area, Panchkula, only to get tested. He was later found positive. Today, his three companions also tested positive for the virus. Sources said the trend had become a major issue for the local administration who are chalking out a strategy to deal with it.

Zirakpur residents paranoid

In Zirakpur, where it is easy to get accommodation in secluded and sparsely populated housing societies, residents are wary of every outsider coming in. There have been cases when people have tried to move in the dead of night. Pommy Chatrath, SMO, Community Health Centre, Dhakoli, said, “People are wary of outsiders here and report the matter if they notice a new face in their locality.”

Of 34 cases in 3 days in Mohali, 9 travellers, 18 their close associates

• A majority of the 34 positive Covid cases reported from Mohali district in the past three days are of those who came from other states or their close associates.
• Civil Surgeon Dr Manjit Singh said from June 12 to June 14, 34 cases have surfaced in the district, which is the highest number for three days so far. He said out of these, nine had come from Delhi, Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh (UP) while 18 are their family members or close contacts. Thus, 27 out of 34 cases are not directly linked to the district or state. However, they have been included in the district list. He said remaining seven positive cases are residents of the district who were already suffering from influenza-like illness (ILI) and the process of finding the source of the disease and contacts of these patients is underway.
• Dr Manjit Singh said on the instructions of the Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, all patients from other states had been admitted at Covid Care Centre at Gian Sagar Hospital in Banur and are being given quality treatment. He said though all these patients had come from outside the state, they were being counted as patients of Mohali.
• Dr Manjit Singh appealed to people to strictly follow the guidelines of the government and the health department to curb the spread of the pandemic. He said if any person has come from any other state or place, the district administration should be informed on helpline — 0172-2219506. — TNS