3 of Phillaur family among 6 more test positive in Punjab

All came in contact with the 70-year-old Banga man who returned from Germany and died of disease

JALANDHAR: Six people, including three members of a Phillaurbased family, who had come in contact with Punjab’s first coronavirus victim, a 70-year-old resident of Banga sub-division in SBS Nagar district, were tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday.

With this, the total count of positive cases in the state touched 29, including one death, as per the data issued by the Punjab health and family welfare department.

In a press release, the health department said of the 282 samples sent for the testing of coronavirus in Punjab so far, results of 33 were still awaited. All 28 patients were put under isolation in government hospitals and are stable, the department officials said.

Health department officials in Jalandhar said the samples of a 50-year-old man, his 45-yearold wife and their 25-year-old son, all related to the Banga septuagenarian, had tested positive. They belong to Virk village in the Phillaur sub-division of district.

The Banga victim had returned from Germany via Italy on March 7 and died following a cardiac arrest on March 18. His post-mortem was done the same day and so was the cremation. But his report of being Covid-19 positive was received on March 19.

HIGHEST NUMBER OF CASES IN SBS NAGAR

In Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar district, three more cases reported positive of coronavirus on Tuesday.

Civil surgeon Dr Rajinder Prasad Bhatia said of these, three are grandchildren of the 70-year-old victim.

Of a total of 29 patients found positive in five districts of the state, 18 (including one death) are from SBS Nagar, five from Mohali, three from Jalandhar, two from Hoshiarpur and one from Amritsar, the health officials said.

A total of 21 people, including 14 of the Banga septuagenarian man’s immediate family members, three relatives, two persons who returned to India from Germany along with him, a 68-year-old contact from Hoshiarpur and the sarpanch of Pathlawa village in SBS Nagar district, have tested positive for coronavirus after coming in contact with the victim.

200 SAMPLES TO BE TAKEN IN DIST TODAY

The health officials directed to collect 200 samples in SBS Nagar district on Wednesday. Deputy commissioner Vinay Bublani said the state government has decided to scale up sample collection with the number of positive patients, who came in contact with the Banga man, increasing by the day in the district.

HOUSE-TO-HOUSE SURVEY ON, PHILLAUR VILLAGE SEALED

The district administration started an identification drive at Virk of Phillaur sub-division after three positive cases were reported in the village.

Phillaur sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Vineet Kumar said 20 medical teams started a house-to-house survey for identification of patients, if any, infected with the virus. The police are also identifying the people with whom these three people met in the last couple of days. “The village was completed sealed. The supply of milk, vegetables and grocery will be made by the administration through people authorised for the purpose,” the SDM said.

JALANDHAR CIVIL HOSPITAL TO BE MADE ISOLATION CENTRE

The district administration in Jalandhar decided to convert the 550- bedded civil hospital into isolation centre to admit the suspected coronavirus patients.

The patients admitted to the facility would be shifted to the ESI Hospital building in phases. An official said the move will help the district administration.

“Health department officials are being directed to ensure smooth shifting of patients,” the official said.