Chandigarh tricity: Weekly Covid cases lowest since second wave

Showing a downward trend for the past three weeks, the tricity’s weekly Covid-19 caseload has dipped to the lowest since the second wave.

Only 47 new cases were reported in the week ending October 10, with Chandigarh accounting for 32, Mohali for nine and Panchkula for just six. No one tested positive in Panchkula on three days and Mohali’s tally remained zero on two days.

The second wave had peaked in May, when the tricity recorded 46,245 cases and 790 deaths in just one month. The curve started flattening thereon, and only 50 cases were recorded in the last week of July before there was a marginal rise. The weekly cases have been fluctuating since then but never crossed the 100 mark.

Meanwhile, one death each was reported across the three areas between October 4 and 10. Health experts have warned residents against any complacency in view of the festive season and rising severity of the disease.

According to Dr Jagat Ram, director, PGIMER, though the cases are dipping, the severity of the infection is rising. “In the past two weeks, the number of patients being admitted in serious condition has gone up from eight to 22,” he said.

Mohali civil surgeon Dr Adarshpal Kaur said: “Even as new cases are surfacing daily in just single digits, if people fail to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, especially in this festival season, another surge can be witnessed.”

No new case in Panchkula for third straight day

No fresh Covid-19 infection was reported in Panchkula for the third consecutive day on Monday.

The tricity area reported four cases on Monday: three from Mohali and one from Chandigarh. On Sunday, four people were tested positive in the tricity area.

No virus-related death was recorded in the tricity for the sixth consecutive day.

Meanwhile, tricity’s active cases dropped below 62 on Monday, of which 37 are in Chandigarh, 19 in Mohali and six in Panchkula.

Chandigarh has so far reported 65,280 positive cases, of which 64,423 have been cured and 820 have died.In Mohali, total cases recorded to date are 68,759. Among these, 67,672 patients have recovered and 1,068 have died. Panchkula’s caseload of 30,744 includes 30,360 recoveries and 378 casualties.

Vaccination drive slows down in Chandigarh

The Covid vaccination drive in Chandigarh is gradually slowing down with weekly doses administered dipping by 42% in one month. The UT health department attributes it to the fact that 58% of the targeted population has already received both doses.

On an average, around 4,535 people were vaccinated daily in the past one week. However, in the week ending on September 11, around 7,774 people were inoculated daily.

Against the target of 8.4 lakh, the health department has administered the first dose to 9.14 lakh (108%), which include migrants, and both doses to 4.9 lakh (58%).