171 deaths, 9,100 fresh COVID cases in Punjab

Chandigarh, May 8

As many as 171 people died from coronavirus in Punjab on Saturday as the state reported yet another record daily spike of 9,100 case, pushing its infection tally to 4,33,689, according to a medical bulletin.

So far, the infection has killed 10,315 people in the state, where the number of active cases stands at 71,948. 

Nineteen deaths were reported from Ludhiana, 17 each from Bathinda and Muktsar, 13 each from Amritsar and Patiala and 11 each from Sangrur and Jalandhar in the past 24 hours, the bulletin said. 

Ludhiana registered the maximum 1,223 fresh cases, followed by 1,168 in Mohali, 706 in Bathinda and 672 in Jalandhar. 

A total of 6,647 coronavirus patients were discharged after recovering from the infection, taking the number of cured persons to 3,51,426, the bulletin said.

There are 288 patients on ventilator while 9,086 are on oxygen support, it said. 

A total of 77,07,585 samples have been collected for testing so far in the state, the bulletin said.

Meanwhile, Chandigarh—the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana—recorded nine deaths and 870 fresh cases.

So far, the city has reported 49,312 cases while the death toll stands at 558 deaths, according to a medical bulletin.

The city currently has 8,505 cases.

A total of 861 patients were discharged from hospitals, the bulletin said, adding that so far, 40,249 people have recovered from the infection.

Till now, 4,33,928 samples have been taken for testing, of which 3,83,480 tested negative while reports of 125 are awaited, the bulletin said.

Meanwhile, UT Adviser Manoj Parida said the Union government has been requested to increase the oxygen quota for the city from 20 metric tonnes to 35 MT to take care of increasing bed capacity and newly set up mini COVID care centres.

He said the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research has also requested the Centre to increase its oxygen quota to 40 MT. PTI