Minister Arora, 5 MLAS among 1,293 test positive

CHANDIGARH/LUDHIANA/PATIALA/ BATHINDA/JALANDHAR/AMRITSAR: Punjab industries and commerce ministersundershamaroraand five MLAS are among 1,293 people who tested positive for coronavirus in the state on Tuesday.

Congress’ MLA Hardial Singh Kamboj from Rajpura, Akali Dal’s legislator from Sanaur Harinder Pal Singh Chandumajra, Congress MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur from Ghanaur, AAP’S legislature Manjit Singh Bilaspur from Nihal Singh Wala and SAD MLA from Nakodar Gurpratap Singh Wadala contracted the infection. Kamboj is also the chief whip of the Congress in the assembly, which has been convened for a day on August 28.

Arora took to Twitter to announce his health status in the afternoon. “I have tested positive for Covid-19 and have quarantined myself at my Chandigarh residence. I request all those persons who came in contact with me during the last few days to please get tested for coronavirus infection. Otherwise, I am at present not having any physical problem,” he tweeted.

Punjab assembly Speaker Rana KP Singh has asked all MLAS and staff to get their Covidnegative reports for entry into the House for the session.

Meanwhile, the death toll due to Covid-19 in the state rose to 1,178 as 49 more people succumbed to the disease, while the infection tally climbed to 44,577 as 1,293 fresh cases were detected in the state, according to a medical bulletin.

This is the third-highest number of deaths reported in a day in Punjab. On August 17, record 51 deaths were reported and 50 were recorded on August 23.

Ludhiana topped the list of fatalities with 11 deaths, followed by nine from Mohali, five each from Amritsar and Patiala, four each from Faridkot and Jalandhar, three from Sangrur, two each from Fatehgarh Sahib and Moga, and one each from Gurdaspur, Bathinda, Pathankot and Mansa, the bulletin said.

Fresh cases were reported from Ludhiana (175), Mohali (154), Gurdaspur (149), Patiala (140), Jalandhar (119), Bathinda (82), Amritsar (75), Kapurthala (65) and Hoshiarpur (61), among other districts.

A total of 788 coronavirus patients were discharged after they recovered from the infection. So far 29,145 people have been cured, the bulletin said.

Currently, there are 14,254 active COVID-19 cases in the state, it said.

While 55 critical patients are on ventilator support, 499 are on oxygen support, it added.

With 22,325 more samples being collected for COVID-19 testing, the total number of samples taken so far for testing has reached 9,41,939, the bulletin stated.