Third death in Punjab, CM extends curfew till April 14
Ludhiana woman dies in Patiala; 2 new cases, state’s tally now 41; borders sealed
PATIALA/LUDHIANA/CHANDIGARH: Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday extended the curfew in Punjab till April 14 as the state witnessed third death due to the coronavirus and two fresh infections, taking the number of positive cases to 41.
Amarinder also directed foolproof sealing of the state’s borders. Punjab was the first state in the country to clamp curfew in the wake of the corona crisis on March 23, a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered a nationwide 21-day lockdown.
A 42-year-old Ludhiana woman died at the government medical college and hospital in Patiala. The patient, identified as Puja Rani, was diagnosed positive for Covid-19 after death, Patiala civil surgeon Dr Harish Malhotra said.
“The woman was brought to the hospital on Sunday evening in a critical state with acute respiratory syndrome. She was immediately admitted into intensive care unit. A team of doctors immediately took her samples and sent them for testing,” Dr Malhotra said, adding that the patient died around 6pm on Monday.
A widow, she worked at a factory in Samrala, and is survived by three children. “We have informed our counterparts in Ludhiana and dispatched her body to her native place,” said the civil surgeon. As per the woman’s family, she had no travel history. The samples of her three children and a middleaged man who had rushed her to Patiala have been sent for testing. Ludhiana DC Pradeep Kumar Agrawal said the woman’s travel history will be investigated. “The area where she resides has been quarantined. We will identify the people she came in contact with in the
DEATHS last few days and all safety measures will be taken,” he added.
On Sunday, a Hoshiarpur man had succumbed to Covid-19 infection in Amritsar. Harbhajan Singh, a resident of Garshankar, was a close contact of Banga ‘ragi’ Baldev Singh who had died of coronavirus on March 18. Two fresh corona cases were reported from Patiala and Mohali.
During a video conference to discuss the current situation, Amarinder promised special insurance for Punjab Police personnel and sanitation workers engaged in the battle against the virus. He asked finance minister Manpreet Badal to come out with a contingency financial plan and ensure an uninterrupted supply of medical items and essentials commodities.