Active cases in Gurgaon more than double for second week in row

As of 10.30 am on Monday, there was only one vacant ICU bed in the district and no vacant ventilator beds.

For the second week in a row, active cases in Gurgaon more than doubled, jumping from 12,196 on April 28 to over 25,000 on Sunday.

This is after the caseload surged from 5,549 on April 10 to 12,196 on April 18.

According to data compiled from the health bulletins issued daily by the district health department, Gurgaon, this week, recorded 21, 559 new Covid cases, taking the number of active Covid cases to 25,086 on Sunday. In the preceding week, the district had recorded 11,584 new Covid cases.

This rise in the number of fresh Covid cases, however, does not correspond to a rise in tests conducted.

While 78,505 tests were conducted last week, the number of Covid tests conducted in the preceding week stood at 69,960. Hence, while the number of cases recorded have jumped by 76 per cent, the number of tests has only increased by 12.21 per cent.

The district, last week, also reached new records in terms of the number of fatalities recorded, with 51 people succumbing to the virus. The highest-ever single day fatality count was recorded on Sunday when 11 people died due to Covid. In the preceding week, 9 people had died because of the virus.

Speaking at a meeting last week, Deputy Commissioner Yash Garg had acknowledged that several “premature deaths” were taking place due to Covid in the district, but had reassured that the administration is working towards making the situation better.

“The district administration and health department are making every effort to ensure that citizens of the district get health facilities in time. Premature deaths are painful for everyone, and efforts are being made to reduce it. Every death due to the infection is being analysed,” Garg had said.

Of the 25,086 active cases in Gurgaon, 23,982 people are under home isolation. In the wake of a surge in demand for hospital beds, Garg had also issued orders directing hospitals to reserve 60 per cent beds under the general category and 75 per cent of total beds in the ICUs for Covid patients.

Despite this, as of 10.30 am on Monday, there was only one vacant ICU bed in the district and no vacant ventilator beds. The number of vacant oxygen beds for Covid patients have also gone down to 8.

On Sunday, Garg had imposed Section 144 in the district, “prohibiting gathering of more than four people, unless specifically permitted”. He had also issued orders directing all IT and ITES companies, as well as corporate companies to shift to the work-from-home model and imposed further restrictions on gatherings —30 people in indoor spaces, 50 people in outdoor spaces, and 20 people for funerals and cremations.

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