Covid cases up in Tricity, but fatalities low

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 21

Even though Covid cases are on the rise in the tricity, the number of deaths has not increased relatively, which, experts say, is enough reason not to panic amid concerns of another surge.

Nine more contract virus in Chandigarh

Chandigarh: The city on Tuesday reported nine cases of Covid-19 and no death. As many as five patients were cured of the disease. TNS

In the past 20 days, around 330 positive cases were reported from the area, but only six persons died due to the virus. The positivity rate of the tricity continues to remain below 1 per cent. In the past seven days, 0.84 per cent of the samples turned out positive in Chandigarh.

In the past 20 days, two deaths each in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula have been reported. Among the deaths reported from Chandigarh was a 45-year-old man with chronic kidney disease and hypothyroidism. He was hospitalised at the PGI since November 21 and was fully vaccinated against Covid.

A 35-year-old woman died of Covid recently in Chandigarh. She was a case of bilateral pneumonitis and was admitted to the GMSH, Sector 16, since December 7.

Dr Suman Singh, Director, Health Services, UT, said, “Cases are rising as Covid-appropriate behaviour is not been followed. People are not masking up and a lot of gatherings can be seen in the city. Among the two deaths recorded in the city, one was not vaccinated and the other had comorbidities. There is no need to panic, but we need to be careful as the behaviour of the new variant can’t be predicted. We must take proper precautions and must get vaccinated.”

The two Covid deaths in Panchkula were of a 67-year-old man with multiple comorbidities such as diabetes and kidney disease and of a 52-year-old man with chronic kidney disease and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

Reduced hospitalisation, says PGI

Dr Rajiv Narwal, Civil Surgeon, Panchkula, said, “A lot of individuals who are testing positive in our district have been either fully or partially vaccinated. However, we have seen reduction in hospitalisation and deaths in our district.”

Though there are 104 active cases in Chandigarh, only 23 Covid beds are occupied in all government and private hospitals.

Dr Surjit Singh, Director, PGI, said, “With the rise in cases, there has not been much difference in the hospitalisation of Covid patients. At the PGI, 17 Covid patients are admitted and this number has been static for a long time. We are prepared for any surge in the near future. It is yet to be seen how Omicron will behave.”

8 test +ve in Panchkula 

Panchkula: The district reported eight cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday. A 13-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl and a 53-year-old man from Indira Colony, a 13-year-old boy and a 45-year-old woman from Sector 20, a 26-year-old woman from Chandimandir, a 20-year-old woman from Sector 18 and a 57-year-old woman from Sector 21 tested positive for the virus. TNS

2 cases in Mohali

Mohali: Two new Covid cases — one each from Gharuan and Kharar — surfaced in the district. There was no fresh death while two patients were cured. TNS