AS MANY as 538 new Covid cases were reported in Panchkula on Monday along with no Covid-related deaths.
An exceptionally high positivity rate of 79.5 per cent was recorded, which the health department termed to be a “result of low sampling on Sunday”.
Explaining it further, Dr Mankirat Kaur, spokesperson for the district health authorities, said, “Total sampling on Sunday had stood at 1,128 cases of which 318 were not residents of the district. We also added almost 200 positive persons who had tested positive on Sunday but could only be traced, confirmed on Monday.”
While 538 tested positive on Monday, a total of 649 Covid cases were added to the total numbers as the remaining had been traced by the authorities only on Monday.
Despite the number of infections growing at a pace outnumbering the second wave, the number of people succumbing to the disease has remained low with three deaths witnessed in the past 17 days of January. It was on January 4, when a 47-year-old woman, who was suffering from cancer, had succumbed. Two more, including a 59-year-old man, died of a stroke and tested positive for the virus posthumously. Another 76-year-old man, who was suffering from diabetes, also succumbed to the disease on January 16.
The active case tally, which started rising in December, saw a consistent growth till January and then soared above the 500-mark on January 6. It crossed the 2,000- mark on January 12 and 2,500-mark the following day. Active cases were recorded at 2,891 on Monday. Of these, a majority of 2,870 remain under home isolation while 21 have required to be hospitalised.
The recovery rate of the district, which had remained consistent at 98.75 per cent for six months after the second wave, fell to 91.19 per cent on Monday.
A total of 49,170 cases have so far been reported from the district, of which 37,204 hail from Panchkula itself while the rest have come from neighbouring districts. As many as 384 people have succumbed to the virus here. The positivity rate has been recorded at 79.5 per cent on Monday.
The district has conducted 5,48,332 tests so far, with 1,128 samples being collected on Sunday.
The healthcare workers have been increasingly testing positive in the district. As many as nine tested positive on Monday itself. More than 50 have tested positive in the past few days.
24×7 Covid control room
As Covid cases continue to rise, Panchkula district authorities set up a 24×7 Covid control room which became functional on Monday.
The helpline is available to all who need immediate assistance related to Covid or need any counselling or advice. Any person, resident of Panchkula, may seek help on 0172-2590000.