After Punjab CM's remarks, PGI Chandigarh says not aware of report about COVID-19 peaking by mid-September

PGI Chandigarh on Friday said it was not aware of report cited by Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh in claiming that 58 per cent of the country's population could be COVID-19 infected by mid-September.

"It's clarified that PGI, Chandigarh isn't aware that any expert/faculty member from Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health of the Institute carried out any study that COVID-19 may peak by mid September and can infect 58 per cent of country's population," said the Public Relations Officer (PRO), PGIMER on Friday.

The Punjab Chief Minister had said during an interaction through video conference hosted by All India Congress Committee (AICC) earlier in the day that medical experts had suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic would peak in India by mid-September and around 58 per cent of Indians would get infected.

He said the report has been produced by "our experts" and there were senior medical officers and really top class people in virology.

He also mentioned John Hopkins University and Boston University in this context.

Reading from the report, he mentioned that in "SF-I scenario" of COVID-19 in India "is expected to reach its peak in mid-September at a point when 58 per cent population is infected".

"When these figures come, these are frightening figures, so we have to do what we can and lockdown is one of the issues," the Chief Minister said.

After PGI Chandigarh issued a clarification, Raveen Thukral, media advisor to the Chief Minister, said the report cited by Capt Amarinder Singh was an assessment done by a team led by faculty member of PGIMER and was based on mathematical models and data of Punjab provided to him.

"Please note the report cited by Capt Amarinder is assessment of Dr. Shankar Prinja, Addl Professor of Health Economics, Dept of Community Medicine and School of Public Health PGIMER Chandigarh and his team, using standard mathematical models with Punjab data provided to him," he said in a tweet.

"State Committee on Health Sector Response and Procurement headed by Vini Mahajan with ex PGI director Dr KK Takwar as professional advisor had sought an urgent assessment of Punjab's COVID19 scenario from Dr Prinja to plan its preparedness," he added.

A Punjab government press release about the video conference had earlier cited the Chief Minister as saying that "the projections by scientists and medical experts suggested that the pandemic would peak in India by July-August, and around 58 per cent of Indians would get infected, with 87 per cent of people likely to get affected in Punjab".