No new Covid-19 case in Chandigarh after three weeks, PGI sends six patients home, most in a day
Cured cases positive indicators that our recovery rate is consistently increasing and is comparable to the best in the country, says PGIMER director Dr Jagat Ram
No new Covid-19 case was reported in the city for the first time in the last three weeks on Thursday, with six more recoveries, the highest ever, bringing down the number of active cases to 151 with the total count at 191.
The number includes 37 patients discharged from hospitals and three fatalities.
RECOVERY RATE IMPROVES, UP 19.3%
With this, the recovery rate of the city has improved by over three percentage points in the one last week from 16.2% on May 7 to 19.3% on May 14.
Chandigarh, which appeared to be doing well on April 23 with a recovery rate of 51%, which was more than double the national average, registered a fall to 16.2% exactly two weeks later on May 7 because of a spike reported mainly from Bapu Dham Colony in Sector 26. Over 122 persons have been infected there with one fatality reported.
Thursday also marked the highest number of recoveries in a single day. Six patients cured at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) included three women aged 55, 35 and 23 years, one man aged 62 years, all from the Sector 30 cluster. Of the two other men, one aged 32 was from Bapu Dham Colony and the other, a healthcare worker with PGIMER, from Mullanpur, Punjab.
On the growth trajectory of recoveries, Dr Jagat Ram, PGIMER director, said, “It is a positive indicator that our recovery rate is consistently increasing and is comparable to the best in the country… Tremendous efforts by the PGIMER team are paying rich dividends.”
PEAK YET TO COME: DR JAGAT RAM
Adding a note of caution, however, he added, “We have to learn to live with the virus. The peak is yet to come in June and July and after that as well, so it may take long to go. Social distancing, hand washing, wearing masks and avoiding crowds should become a way of life.”
The six patients discharged on Thursday were visibly moved as they walked out of the hospital, some close to tears while expressing gratitude to the hospital’s Covid-19 team.
“I can vouch after my experience as a patient here that the PGIMER team is far ahead of others in its commitment towards patient care and compassion for patients. I am going home grateful and indebted,” said the hospital’s healthcare worker.
All the patients discharged will be home quarantined for 14 days as per standard protocols to be followed by all Covid-19 patients.
