Punjab has reported its first COVID-19 death, after a 70-year-old man died at a civil hospital in Banga town of Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
The deceased, Baldev Singh, a resident of Pathlawa village, had arrived from Germany via Italy at Delhi airport on March 7 and proceeded to the State on the same day. He was known to have diabetes and hypertension, and was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on March 18, an official statement said on Thursday.
The statement added that Baldev Singh was attended by the staff at the civil hospital where his samples were taken “since the symptoms were there”. The samples were sent to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh and were found positive for COVID-19. The cause of death was cardiac arrest. The cremation was done under aseptic conditions on March 18.
“The close contacts and family members of the patient are under surveillance and sampling of family members is being done,” it added.
Warning of a worsening COVID-19 crisis in the country, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had asked the Central government to allow private hospitals and labs to conduct tests in order to ensure access to all people, making it clear that he did not agree with the current policy of the Centre in this regard.
The Punjab government, meanwhile, has decided to put a ban on plying of all public transport (government and private buses) from the midnight of March 20.
Likewise all Board examinations of Class X and XII have also been postponed till March 31. All public dealings in government offices have been called off with immediate effect.
Local Bodies Minister Brahm Mohindra said OPD services in hospitals have also been postponed but emergency services at all hospitals will be continue.
Curb on gatherings
“We have decided to restrict the gathering for any function like marriages up to 20 persons. Also, a decision has been taken to implement the home quarantine protocol for all Non-Resident Indians and passengers who came from any other country in the last 15 days. Mandatory stamping with indelible ink of all such NRIs and passengers will be done in a bid to identify them in case they go out,” he said.
