Cases spike, Punjab’s patient ratio on a slide

One out of 100 testing positive shows that situation is under control: State’s nodal officer for Covid-19

CHANDIGARH: Even as there has been a sharp increase in the number of positive cases in Punjab lately, but state’s patient ratio (proportion of positive cases against samples tested) has decreased with nearly five-fold increase in testing in a fortnight.

Analysis of the figures available with the health department reveals that state’s patient ratio decreased from 1.76% on May 25 to 1.09% on June 11. Sampling in Punjab has touched 10,000 per day from 1,500-2,500 in the last week of May, and the dip in thepatient ratio is a good sign for Punjab.

Notably, as per reports, some worst-hit states have decreased testing after spurt in positive cases in the past over two weeks.

“Our testing has doubled since June 1 but the patient ratio of the state has revolved around 1% which is a matter of satisfaction for us. One out of 100 testing positive shows that the situation is under control,” Punjab’s nodal officer for Covid-19 Dr Rajesh Bhaskar said.

As per the June 12 figures, Punjab recorded 2,986 Covid-19 patients out of 1,65,548 samples tested, which comes out to be 1.8%. With maximum cases, Amritsar district has the highest patient ratio at 6%.

Since June 1, Punjab has tested 85,420 samples till June 13 at an average of 6,570 tests a day.

PATIENTS DOUBLING QUICKLY NOW

The spurt in positive cases has brought down the doubling time of patients from 55 days on June 4 to 25 days on June 12. On May 18, patients in the state had doubled after 91 days. Punjab has detected over 700 infections since June 1.