202 more Covid deaths, 7,038 new cases in state

CHANDIGARH: Punjab registered 202 more coronavirus deaths, taking the toll to 11,895 on Sunday, according to a medical bulletin.

The infection tally rose to 4.98 lakh with 7,038 new cases, while 9,059 more patients recovered. The active cases declined from 77,789 the previous day to 75,478, the bulletin stated.

The test positivity rate is 9.76 per cent and the number of recoveries rose to 4.1 lakh, it said. Twenty-two deaths were reported from Bathinda district, 20 from Ludhiana, 19 each from Muktsar and Fazilka, and 15 from Patiala district, among others.

Ludhiana reported 942 cases, but the district was lower than Saturday’s infections of 1,132. Bathinda registered 705 more cases, followed by 673 in Jalandhar and 542 in Mohali.

There are 443 critical patients who are on ventilator support in the state, while 9,796 are on oxygen support, the bulletin said.

Capt for procuring Sputnik V vaccine for 18-44 age group

Amid vaccine shortage, chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday directed chief secretary Vini Mahajan to explore the possibility of procuring Sputnik V, a Russian vaccine, for inoculating people in the 18-44 age group in the state.

Addressing the virtual Covid review meeting, the chief minister said the 1 lakh doses received initially for the 18-44 age group had almost been completely utilised. He asked chief secretary Vini Mahajan to look into Sputnik V as an alternative vaccine for this age group, in which currently the state government is inoculating families of healthcare workers, comorbid persons and construction workers.

In the next stage, other categories, especially teachers, should be vaccinated to enable reopening of schools in Punjab at the earliest, he added.

Referring to the shortage of Tocilizumab, Amarinder said he had spoken to Union health minister Harsh Vardhan and hoped that some quantity will be supplied on Monday.

Health secretary Hussan Lal informed the chief minister that there was no shortage of “Fateh Kits” as the department currently has a stock of 24,000 with another 15,000 to be ready by Monday.

Some districts were probably delaying picking up the kits, the health secretary added.