Punjab sees record 7601 new Covid cases in a day, 173 deaths: Health bulletin

Amid vaccine shortage, just 15k doses given on the day; 2 lakh fresh doses received from Centre for 45+

Punjab witnessed another surge in its daily Covid cases with at least 7,601 testing positive for Covid in the last 24 hours — the highest one-day surge since the pandemic started last year — as per the state health bulletin released on Tuesday. The state also witnessed 173 people succumbing to the virus in the past 24 hours, the bulletin said.

The previous highest single-day count of 7327 cases had been recorded on May 2.

The 173 new deaths, the Covid toll in Punjab on Tuesday reached 9,645 with the state’s case fatality rate (CFR) touching 2.41%, higher than the national CFR of 1.10%. The number of patients on ventilator support has risen to 231 and those on oxygen support are 8,034, data said.

The maximum number of fresh cases on Tuesday were recorded from Ludhiana (1347), SAS Nagar (847), Bathinda (803), Jalandhar (733) and Amritsar (674). The highest positivity rate was witnessed in SAS Nagar (Mohali) — 32.89%, followed by Bathinda 22.58% and Amritsar 21.11%.

As per the district wise break-up of 173 deaths- 20 people each died in Bathinda and Ludhiana, 16 each in Patiala and Amritsar, 12 in SAS Nagar (Mohali), 10 each in Fazilka and Sangrur, eight each in Muktsar and Jalandhar, six each in Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, Faridkot and Ferozepur, five in Ropar, four each in Tarn Taran and Kapurthala, three each in Moga and Barnala, two each in Fatehgarh Sahib and Mansa and one person succumbed to the virus in SBS Nagar. The total number of infections in the state, as per the heath bulletin, had reached 3,99,556 on Tuesday and the total number of active cases in Punjab are 61,936. At least, 61, 936 people recovered from the disease on Tuesday.

Just 15k doses administered on the day, 2 lakh fresh doses received from Centre

Amid extreme vaccine shortage, Punjab administered just 15592 doses at its government centers on Tuesday — of which 10,144 were first doses and 5,448 second doses.

Dr GB Singh, director, health Punjab, said that a fresh stock of 2 lakh doses of Covishield were received on Tuesday from the Centre for healthcare, frontline workers and 45+ population and these doses will reach various districts by Wednesday.

At least 908 from 18-44 age group vaccinated in Punjab, says Centre

Even as Punjab is yet to officially start phase 3 of vaccination drive in its government centres for 18-44 age group, as it awaits supply of 3 lakh doses of Covishield from the Serum Institute of India (SII) in the first batch, data released by the Union ministry of health and family welfare (MoH&FW) Tuesday indicated that 908 beneficiaries from Punjab have already been vaccinated in this age group.

“Some private hospitals might have procured doses on their own and started phase 3 vaccination of 18-44 age group in Punjab. We are trying to verify this data from private hospitals. We are still waiting for SII to supply doses ordered by us to start the incoulation drive in government centres,” said Singh.

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