Amritsar’s Covid-19 doubling rate at 27 days, 10 deaths reported in five days

Covid-19 cases in Amritsar, the worst hit district in Punjab, have doubled over the last 27 days with the number of cases jumping from 305 to 613.

The first Covid-19 case was reported in the district on March 21 after a UK-returned man tested positive for the deadly infection. The district, which falls under the red-zone, took 58 days (till May 18) to report 305 cases, of which 263 patients had returned from Takht Hazur Sahib in Nanded, Maharashtra.

However, soon after relaxations were imposed community transmission (where a patient has no travel history and has not come in direct contact of any infected person) commenced and Covid-19 cases doubled from 305 to 613 in 27 days (till June 14).

Of the 613 Covid-19 patients in the district, 418 have recovered and 21 have succumbed to the disease.

17 DEATHS IN 27 DAYS

While Covid-19 cases are rising in the district, there has been a corresponding decrease in recovery rate.

As many as 295 of 305 people were discharged from Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Amritsar, till May 18 while 418 of 613 patients have been discharged till June 14.

Amritsar has reported 17 Covid-19 deaths in 27 days, of which 10 deaths were reported in the last five days.

ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE IN PLACE: ADC

When asked about the steadily increasing cases in Amritsar, additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Himanshu Aggarwal said, “Most of the cases are being reported through flu corners and many are close contacts of Covid-19 patients. The health department and district administration is actively surveilling the district and trying to contain the contagion. At least 1,000 samples from the district are tested at GMC Amritsar daily.”

“We have already announced the first containment zone in the district and a survey is under process to identify other potential containment zones,” ADC Aggarwal said, adding that people were advised to maintain social distancing and wear face masks to avoid infection.