Covid-19: Spike in cases in Jalandhar’s rural belt after relaxation in curbs

The number of Covid-19 cases has seen a sharp rise in the rural areas of Jalandhar district after the Punjab government announced relaxations in the curfew on May 18.

The health department’s figures reveal that of a total of 127 positive cases of the disease in the rural areas of the district so far, 82 were reported in the past four weeks only.

The district recorded 671 positive cases, including 19 deaths, till Thursday.

The pandemic outbreak was witnessed in the Jalandhar city that also topped the tally of positive cases across Punjab during nearly two months of the curfew starting March 23.

In March and April, only eight persons tested positive, including seven close contacts of NRI Baldev Singh from SBS Nagar who was referred as the state’s first superspreader, in the district’s rural belt, even as the Jalandhar city recorded more than 50 cases.

In May, at least 38 positive cases were reported in the rural areas of which 26 surfaced between May 19 and May 31 only. Since June 1, around 80 cases have been reported in the belt.

Dr TP Singh, Covid-19 nodal officer (Jalandhar), said the health department has conducted conducting over 20,000 tests in the district.