Punjab reports new high at over 2,600 Covid cases; Mohali adds 433

61 deaths take fatality count to 2,356; infection tally just under 80,000

Tribune Web Desk

Updated At : 02:18 AM Sep 14, 2020 IST

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 13

Punjab reported 2,628 new coronavirus cases and 68 new deaths in a span of 24 hours, a state-government-issued health bulletin said on Sunday— the highest single-day spike in cases yet.

All 22 districts of Punjab reported new cases on Sunday—a trend that the state has been observing throughout this month.

The bulletin showed SAS Nagar (Mohali) as having reported the highest number of cases in the last 24 hours at 433. It also is the most cases reported by any district of the state thus far. Patiala came second with 327 cases, followed by Ludhiana (274), Jalandhar (252), Amritsar (188), Gurdaspur (260) and Bathinda (104).

The seven districts accounted for almost 70 per cent of Sunday’s cases.

Besides, Hoshiarpur (79), Sangrur (74), Ferozepur (67), Pathankot (49), Kapurthala (64), Faridkot (71), Moga (36), Muktsar (66), Barnala (29), Fazilka (57) Fategharh Sahib (47), Ropar (45), Tarn Taran (25), Mansa (48), and SBS Nagar (33) all reported new cases.

All districts except for Muktsar and Ferozepur reported fatalities. Amritsar—the district that was once the most affected one in the state but has since been eclipsed—had the highest number of deaths at 11 followed by Patiala (10).

Barnala (1), Bathinda (6), Faridkot (1), Fazilka (3), Gurdaspur (1), Hoshiarpur (3), Jalandhar (6), Kapurthala (4), Ludhiana (5), Mansa (2), Moga (2), SAS Nagar (3), SBS Nagar (1), Pathankot (3), Ropar (2), Sangrur (3) and Tarn Taran (1) also reported deaths.

September is proving to be a devastating month for Punjab, especially in terms of its fatalities. The state’s fatality count currently stands at 2.9 per cent—among the highest in the country.

Punjab’s COVID infection tally currently stands at 79,679. The state reported 27,153 cases since September 1 — a 151 per cent rise since 52,526 cases recorded until August 31. For comparison, it reported 11,817 cases in the first 13 days of August.

Punjab has been reporting 2,000 cases a day since September 7, and has recorded 14,096 new cases in less than a week since.

The government had expected coronavirus cases in the state to peak in September: its estimates said infections would touch 1.10 lakh this month, with 3,000 deaths. The state’s fatality count, however, appears to be belying its own projections—the state’s death toll now stands at 2,356, a 167 per cent rise since the 1,404 deaths recorded till August 31.

Punjab government has blamed the substantial rise in cases on misinformation campaign and patients’ reluctance in getting themselves treated in time.

Twenty-four per cent of the state’s cases are still active. The bulletin shows that 501 people are on oxygen support, and 91 people are critical and on ventilator support.