Two-fold jump in Punjab’s positivity rate in a month
Ludhiana worst-hit district, followed by Jalandhar, Patiala, Mohali and Bathinda; experts say the figure indicates a greater prevalence of the pandemic
CHANDIGARH : Punjab’s Covid-19 positivity rate has more than doubled in the past one month amid a surge in cases of infection, data procured from the daily analysis of the state health department reveals.
The positivity rate, the percentage of those found infected against the total number of people tested, increased to 4.7% on August 22 from 2.3% on July 22.
The rate, many experts believe, indicates a greater prevalence of the disease.
In the last fortnight, the overall positivity rate increased by 1%. The state tested 2.16 lakh samples in the last 15 days when the positivity rate was found to be as high as at 8.4% with 17,965 people turning positive.
This was the time when the state saw an increase in daily testing that reached 22,000-23,000 from 14,000-15,000 till a couple of days back. Some medical experts, contradict the claims of the state health department which attributes the rise in detection of cases to the increase in testing.
“Ideally, the positivity rate should come down when the testing is increased,” said an expert not wishing to be named.
State Covid-19 nodal officer Dr Rajesh Bhaskar said the overall positivity rate may have increased in the state but if one compares the data of the past seven days with the preceding
week, the figure has gone down.
“As the government has announced fresh restrictions and the testing is set to increase further, we hope to reduce the positivity rate,” said the nodal officer.
The national positivity rate has also increased in the past one month from 8.2% to 10%.
BARNALA HAS LOWEST FIGURE
Ludhiana, Punjab’s worst-affected
district, remains on top in terms of positivity rate at 9.6%, followed by Jalandhar at 7.8%, Patiala and Mohali at 7.5% and Bathinda at 7.2%. The Barnala district has the state’s lowest positivity rate at 1.8%.
Data between August 17 and August 23 reveals that the virus is spread its tentacles faster in the districts that earlier had low caseload as the positivity rate during this period was the highest in
Moga (17.5%), followed by Barnala (17.4%), Faridkot (14.7%) and Fazilka (14.5%).
NUMBER MAXIMUM IN CONTAINMENT ZONES
The positivity rate was as high as 25% among the direct and indirect contacts of the infected people and those showing influenza like illness (Ili)-symptoms in containment zones, the data shows.