Punjab reports 488 new coronavirus cases; Ludhiana accounts for more than quarter of that number

District reports over 1600 COVID-19 cases in less than a fortnight; death toll doubles

Tribune Web Desk

Updated At : 01:46 AM Aug 05, 2020 IST

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 4

Punjab reported 488 new coronavirus cases and 20 deaths within a span of 24 hours, the state’s evening COVID bulletin showed—developments that took the state’s numbers to 19,015 with 462 deaths.

Ludhiana continued to report the highest number of COVID-19 cases—at 22 cases, it accounted for more than of the state’s recorded infections on Tuesday. The district also reported the highest deaths of the day at seven. Patiala and Jalandhar reported five deaths, Sangrur, Gurdaspur, and Fatehgarh Sahib each reported one.

Besides Ludhiana, Amritsar (39), Jalandhar (34), Patiala (19), Sangrur (36), SAS Nagar (11), Hoshiarpur (5), Gurdaspur (10), Ferozepur (14), Pathankot (15), Tarn Taran (1), Bathinda (14), Fatehgarh Sahib (13), Moga (6), SBS Nagar (2), Faridkot 3), Kapurthala (10), Ropar (5), Barnala (13), and Mansa (15) all reported new cases, the bulletin said.

Forty-nine of Ludhiana’s 222 new cases were contacts of previously diagnosed cases. Thirty-six were classified as ILI (influenza-like illness). Seventeen jail inmates, eight policemen, and five healthcare workers were among the new patients.

The state’s case tally now stands thus: Ludhiana (3935), Jalandhar (2644), Amritsar (2024), Patiala (1938), Sangrur (1161), SAS Nagar (949), Gurdaspur (668), Hoshiarpur (569), Ferozepur (565), Bathinda (585), Pathankot (456), Tarn Taran (377), Fatehgarh Sahib (393), Moga (455), SBS Nagar (320), Fazilka (327), Faridkot (319), Kapurthala (340), Ropar (273), Muktsar (240), Barnala (318) and Mansa (159).

Death toll stands thus: Ludhiana (122), Jalandhar (60), Amritsar (85), Patiala (38), Sangrur (30), SAS Nagar (17), Gurdaspur (19), Hoshiarpur (15), Ferozepur (6), Bathinda (8), Pathankot (13), Tarn Taran (12), Fatehgarh Sahib (3), Moga (5), SBS Nagar (4), Fazilka (1), Kapurthala (11), Ropar (4), Muktsar (2), and Barnala (7).

Although Ludhiana has been among the hardest-hit districts in the state since May—reporting among the highest infections in the state—the district’s number has jumped significantly in July. The district reported 2,371 cases in July as compared to 647 in June and 130 in May.

Significantly, Ludhiana has reported 1,608 cases since July 25, when the district began reporting infections in triple digits.

Ludhiana’s death toll has also seen a significant jump since—more than doubling over the fortnight to 122 from 54 deaths recorded on July 25.

Punjab’s numbers have also risen significantly since July—70 per cent of the state’s cases 19,015 have been reported since July 1. Punjab reported 10,551 cases in July, as compared to 3,305 in June and 1,783 in May.

What is more alarming is that the state has already reported 2,896 cases since the beginning of this month.

The bulletin shows that Punjab has 6,062 active cases. Of that number, 149 are on oxygen support, and 25 are critical and on ventilator support.