Punjab recorded 18 fresh COVID-19 cases on Sunday and reported three more deaths taking the tally to 35, according to an official statement.
The number of positive cases has reached 1,964 on May 17. Two patients who died were from Gurdaspur while one was from Ludhiana district.
The health department said the major chunk of cases, six and five, were reported from Amritsar and Ludhiana districts respectively. The active cases are 563 and 1,366 patients have so far been cured, it added.
Health Minister Balbir Sidhu said that in wake of COVID-19, all civil surgeons in the State have been directed to ensure the supply of medicines to patients as hypertension and diabetes, which are major co-morbid conditions contributing to higher risk of acquiring COVID-19 infection.
“It’s on record that high mortality rate has been witnessed among the patients those were suffering from chronic diseases. The government is providing the free of cost medicines to the patients those are on treatment for hypertension and diabetes.. It is necessary to keep focus on COVID-19 related activities, but continuing to provide essential medicines is also important to minimize an increase in morbidity and mortality from these health conditions,” he said.
