3 doctors among 9 new COVID-19 cases in Chandigarh, tally now 45

Three women doctors were among nine people who tested positive for COVID-19 in Chandigarh on Monday, pushing the number of cases to 45 in the union territory, according to a medical bulletin.

The doctors were working at the government medical college and hospital in Sector 32 where a ward attendant had earlier tested positive, the bulletin said.

Six others including contacts of a coronavirus patient who lived at the Bapu Dham colony, also tested positive for the infection, it said.

All the family members and other community contacts of the fresh cases will be tested for coronavirus, according to the bulletin.

As of Monday, 18 people have recovered from the infection, leaving 28 active cases in the city.

Meanwhile, Chandigarh UT Administrator V P Singh Badnore expressed serious concern about a jump in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases, according to an official statement.

He said extensive contact-tracing of the cases should take place immediately and all the people who had contacts with the patient should be identified, checked and quarantined as per protocol.

Badnore also directed the chiefs of three medical institutions to develop a strict protocol, so that none of their staff members suffer any infection in the premises.

Health Services Director G Dewan said the door-to-door screening of the residents is going on smoothly. Till date, 10.54 lakh people have been screened.

UT Adviser Manoj Parida stated that a draft plan would be prepared for the activities to be regulated in the post-lockout phase in accordance with the directions of the prime minister.

On the prime minister's video conference with the chief ministers, Badnore said he emphasized on stricter compliance of the lockdown norms in hotspot zones and continuing the practice of social distancing, according to the official statement.