Amid Delta+ concerns, curbs to stay till July 10 in Punjab

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 29

With cases of Delta Plus variant coming to light, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today ordered extension of Covid restrictions till July 10, with some more relaxations, including opening of bars, pubs and taverns at 50 per cent capacity, beginning July 1.

Skill development centres and universities have also been allowed to open, provided the staff and students have taken at least one dose of vaccine. At a high-level Covid review meeting, the CM made it clear that bars, pubs and taverns would have to strictly maintain social distancing and the employees should have taken at least one shot of vaccine, which needs to be ensured by the owners.

He expressed satisfaction over the decline in positivity rate to less than 1 per cent, with overall fall in active cases. “The detection of Delta plus variant is a matter of concern, making it essential to continue with the curbs,” he stressed.

Of the 198 contacts of the Ludhiana patient traced and tested, one was found positive and the sample has been sent for genome sequencing, while in the Patiala case, for which the genome sequencing report was received on June 26, the process of tracing/testing is going on.

Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan said genome sampling of 489 samples — 276 sent in April, 100 in May and 113 in June — were still pending with the central lab. She said the Delta plus variant was detected in samples sent by the state government in May, the results of which were given recently.

The CM ordered fast-tracking of a whole genome sequencing lab at the GMCH, Patiala, in association with an international NGO, PATH, to make it operational by July. He also ordered stepping up of genome sequences of cases reported from clusters in limited geographical, institutional or superspreader event area to check the spread of third wave.