Coronavirus ‘suspect’ missing from Chandigarh reaches Hoshiarpur

Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, March 30

A coronavirus suspect reportedly missing from Chandigarh for four days reached his grandmother’s house in the Shakti Nagar Dhobighat area here late last evening.

Learning about the matter, local residents informed the Covid control room. Following which, a team of Health Department and police officials reached the spot. The youth told the team that he works in Zirakpur and lives in Chandigarh on a rented accommodation.

During investigation, he gave three phone numbers of his residence and workplace in Chandigarh and Zirakpur to the team but the numbers turned out to be wrong. The youth was not telling the exact place of his residence to the officials. Firstly, he said he was residing in Chandigarh, then Panchkula and later Zirakpur. Meanwhile, local residents said the youth’s grandmother had told them four days ago that the landlady of the house, living on the ground floor, was found to be Covid positive while her grandson was staying on the first floor of the building on rent in Chandigarh.

She had told them that after getting information about it, her grandson left the place.

Meanwhile, it was found that during the past four days he also stayed with one of his relatives in Balachaur.

District Epidemiologist Shailesh told The Tribune that they had received a complaint in this regard and on the basis of it, a team of the Health Department was dispatched to the Dhobi Ghat area. They had taken his details and quarantined him at his grandmother’s house in Shakti Nagar. Stickers had also been pasted outside his house while his details were being verified and would be shared with the Chandigarh and the Panchkula administrations.

Godowns, shops sealed for black marketing

Two shops and five godowns have been sealed by the Excise and Taxation Department on the charge of black marketing.

Avtar Singh Kang, Assistant Commissioner, Excise and Taxation Department, said he had received a complaint of black marketing against Lala Booti Mal Kariyana shopkeeper in the city’s Pahari Katra market. He said excise officials, along with police personnel, raided and sealed his shops and godowns. He said a notice had also been issued asking him to present documents related to the sealed shops and godowns by April 7. He said if the shopkeeper failed to do so, legal action would be initiated against him under the GST Act.

68 test negative, reports of 92 samples awaited

Of the 165 samples taken by the Health Department so far, five, including deceased coronavirus victim Harbhajan Singh, had tested positive while 68 samples have been reported to be negative and reports of 92 samples are yet to be received. Providing the information, Civil Surgeon Jasvir Singh said only four persons in the district tested positive at the moment. Harbhajan Singh of Moranwali village, who was referred to Government Medical College, Amritsar, died last night. He said people who came in contact with his kin have been identified by the Health Department and were being home quarantined.