Ludhiana turns Punjab’s Covid capital as deaths, cases explode
95% of 226 fatalities in district occurred after lockdown restrictions relaxed; half of active patients being treated at home
LUDHIANA:THE coronavirus cases and the deaths attributed to the disease have exploded in Punjab’s industrial and financial hub of Ludhiana to the extent that it has virtually turned into the state’s Covid-19 capital.
Such is the situation that the district tops the state’s tally of case count at 6,500 as well that of fatalities at 226 till Saturday. What makes the situation even more alarming is that fact that Ludhiana also has the highest number of active cases (2,028).
A look at the figures reveals that the neighbouring district of Jalandhar ranks a distant second with 3,773 confirmed cases, including 1,270 active cases and 96 deaths, followed by Patiala (3,577 cases), Mohali (1,732 cases) and Sangrur (1,490 cases).
Ludhiana accounts for 22% of all cases and 29.4% of deaths reported in Punjab due to the coronavirus. Moreover, given that it is Punjab’s most populated (35 lakh) district and witnesses a massive interstate movement of people due to bustling commercial activities, Ludhiana continues to remain more vulnerable to the spread of virus more than any other urban pocket.
It is hardly surprising that the city alone has 19 micro-containment zones. The overall scenario appears to be bleak at the best. Consider this:
The district’s case count per 1 lakh population is 258.5, far higher than the state’s figure of 104.5.
Of the 6,438 cases reported till
August 13, as many as 1,718 were reported in the preceding seven days alone, pointing towards a steep rise. In contrast, Patiala and Jalandhar reported 994 and 820 cases in seven days from August 7 to 13.
Cases in Ludhiana have nearly doubled from 3,439 in July-end to 6,560 till August 15. Of a total of 793 coronavirus patients admitted to Ludhiana hospitals, 143 are at level III (critical care), also the highest for any district in the state.
The one reassuring aspect is that the district has conducted the maximum number of coronavirus tests in the state with the number of collected samples exceeding 90,000. Equally reassuring is the fact that it also so far has the highest number of recoveries at 4,304.
DEATHS DOUBLE FROM JULY-END TO AUG 15
Figures also reveal that 95% of the 226 deaths in Ludhiana were reported after the lockdown was relaxed in early June when businesses started reopening and people began venturing out of their homes. This was besides the return of a section of migrant workers to the district.
The deaths rose twofold from 88 in July-end to 226 on August 15. Till the lockdown was lifted on June 8, the district had recorded only 11 deaths.
The district’s testing number (90,966) is ahead of Amritsar (62, 410), Jalandhar (58,285), Patiala (54,503) and Gurdaspur (48,464). It has tested 1.5 times more than Jalandhar which has the second highest number of cases.
Pradeep Kumar Agrawal, who was Ludhiana deputy commissioner till mid-june, said, “Unlike Jalandhar and Amritsar where people are cautious of visiting the civil hospital to get their test done, more people volunteered to be tested in Ludhiana even if they exhibited mild symptoms. More testing facilities in Ludhiana is another reason for a large number of samples being tested.”
HOME TO BULK OF INTERSTATE TRAVELLERS
Of the 2,456 travellers having tested positive for the disease in Punjab, a major chunk is from Ludhiana, a hub of cycle, cycle parts, hosiery and sewing machine industry.
A large number of people from the district travel to other states for business deals on a regular basis.
As per official figures, 3.47 lakh people entered the state ever since the curfew was relaxed in Punjab. Of these, samples of 1. 51 lakh (43%) were collected.
Rahul Ahuja, chairman, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), says labourers in a large number have started returning to Ludhiana to resume work. “It is but natural for the city with the largest population to have the highest number of cases in the state,” he said.
COPS, MC OFFICIALS WORST-AFFECTED
As many as 260 police personnel and 20 civic body employees have tested positive for the disease. At least 160 cops are still getting treatment.
Besides the death of an additional commissioner of police (ACP) due to the coronavirus in April, an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) also succumbed to the infection last week. The infected civic body employees also included the personal assistant of the MC commissioner.
INADEQUATE HEATH INFRASTRUCTURE
Government hospitals in Punjab’s most populated district have no ventilators or intensive care units (ICUS) as they are completely dependent on private facilities for treatment of patients with severe symptoms.
There are just 43 ventilators in private hospitals in Ludhiana. At least 17 patients are currently on ventilator support.
While the cases are rising in the district, the health infrastructure has proved to be far from adequate. Compared to 450 isolation wards in government hospitals in the district, the private hospitals have 787 such facilities of which 628 (80%) are occupied. Interestingly, only 159 of a total of 450 beds in government hospitals for Covid patients in Ludhiana are occupied. This is because nearly 1,000 of active-case patients are being treated at home.
Maheshinder Singh Grewal, a senior Akali Dal leader from Ludhiana, said, “The same level of rigour (for those found infected) cannot be observed at home. The government doesn’t have enough beds and they are left with no other option but to send a majority of positive patients home. This further increases the risk of spreading the infection.”
We are on the top in the state in getting the maximum number of tests done. This is not alarming keeping in view the large population in Ludhiana. We will soon come out of it.
Dr RAJESH KUMAR BAGGA, Ludhiana civil surgeon
Being a business hub, Ludhiana has more movement of people. We are testing aggressively, far more than other larger districts of the state. Also, there are more testing centres in the district.
VARINDER KUMAR SHARMA, Ludhiana deputy commissioner
People also tend to take the pandemic lightly. They argue with police personnel when stopped for not wearing masks. At times, they cover their chin with hand to give the impression that they are wearing mask. RAKESH KUMAR AGRAWAL, Ludhiana police commissioner