Punjab on Tuesday reported two more COVID-19-related deaths, taking the toll to 25. Additionally, 219 fresh cases of COVID-19 surfaced in the State, according to an official statement. The total number of COVID-19 positive cases stood at 1,451 in the State. Most of the new cases include pilgrims who had recently returned from Nanded in Maharashtra. The patients who died were from Hoshiarpur and Amritsar districts.
As on May 5, as many as 48 new cases were reported from Gurdaspur, 47 from Tarn Taran, 34 from Fazilka, 27 from Faridkot, 22 from Sangrur, 15 from Muktsar, 14 from Ludhiana, six from Jalandhar, five from Kapurthala and one from Patiala, the State Health Department said.
At present, the total active cases in the State stood at 1,293. As many as 133 COVID-19 patients have so far recovered in the State, it added.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh issued a series of directives to check the spread of the virus as the State prepared to handle an influx of NRIs from other nations and stranded people from across the country.
To deal with the additional pressure, the State government has decided to rope in universities and State-run labs. Besides, the Chief Minister has also directed deputy commissioners to prepare a list of private hotels that could be utilised as paid quarantine facilities. He also asked the Health Department to make an inventory of functional and non-functional private hospitals.
The decisions were announced during a video conference held by the Chief Minister with medical experts. During the meeting, the Chief Minister also ordered an immediate audit of level 1 and 2 facilities, pointing out that as of now, 21,000 Punjabis settled abroad want to return home.
He also directed the expert committee to formulate its own guidelines and protocols.
Haryana, Chandigarh
In Haryana, 31 fresh cases of COVID-19 were recorded, taking the tally of cumulative cases to 548 in the State, according to an offical statement.
In the Union Territory of Chandigarh, twelve fresh COVID-19 cases were reported, taking the tally to 115.
