Cases in Punjab cross 9K for 1st time, Delhi logs lowest in 23 days
CHANDIGARH/ NEW DELHI: For the first time since the virus outbreak, the caseload crossed the 9,000-mark in Punjab on Saturday, recording 9,100 fresh cases. With this, the Covid tally has soared to 4,33,689 in the state.
The state also reported 171 Covid-related fatalities, taking the death toll to 10,315, according to a bulletin released by the state government.
On the other hand, Delhi added 17,364 new Covid-19 infections on Saturday, the fewest since April 15, when the city logged 16,699 cases. Further, in what may be seen as a hopeful sign, Delhi’s test positivity rate continued its slow, but steady, decline, dipping to 23.3% on Saturday, with over 74,000 samples collected in the previous 24 hours.
The positivity rate, which is an indicator of the spread of the infection, shot up to 36% on April 22, during the peak of the current surge of the infections.
The World Health Organization recommends a positivity rate below 5% for two weeks for an infection to be considered under control in a region.
For the first time since the virus outbreak, the caseload crossed the 9,000mark in Punjab on Saturday, recording 9,100 fresh cases. With this, the Covid tally has soared to 4,33,689 in the state.
The state also reported 171 Covid-related fatalities, taking the death toll to 10,315, according to a bulletin released by the state government.
A maximum of 19 deaths were witnessed in Ludhiana followed by 17 each in Muktsar and Bathinda, 13 in Amrtisar, 11 each in Jalandhar and Sangrur, 10 in Mohali and nine in Fazilka.
As per the media bulletin, 1,223 fresh cases were detected in Ludhiana, 1,168 in Mohali, 672 in Jalandhar, 620 in Patiala, 610 in Amritsar, 706 in Bathinda, 528 in Fazilka, 462 in Pathankot and 416 in Muktsar.
Mohali recorded the highest positivity rate where 28.91% samples were found positive. Other districts with high positivity rate include Rupnagar 24.41%, Mansa 21.50%, Muktsar 20.97%, Fazilka 20.26% and Bathinda 19.87%, according to the bulletin.
So far, the infection has killed 10,315 people in the state, where the number of active cases stands at 71,948.
A total of 9,086 persons are on oxygen support and 288 on ventilator support. A total of 77,280 people were administered on Saturday, the bulletin said.