Punjab sees spike in COVID-19 cases; total count rises to 130

Punjab witnessed a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases on Thursday with 24 more people contracting the infection, pushing the total count to 130 in the state.

Besides, two more COVID-19 related deaths were reported in the state, taking the toll count to 10, officials said.

As the number of coronavirus cases keeps rising, the infection has now marked its presence in 17 districts in the state with Muktsar and Sangrur reporting cases for the first time.

A 52-year-old woman from Barnala who had coronavirus-like symptoms died at a private hospital in Ludhiana on Wednesday, officials said.

The woman's samples, which were taken before her death, tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, Ludhiana civil surgeon Rajesh Bagga said.

A 55-year-old man from Rupnagar, who had tested positive for COVID-19, died on Wednesday at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh, officials said.

Among fresh cases, seven were reported in Mohali, followed by six in Mansa, four each in Ludhiana and Jalandhar and one each in Muktsar, Sangrur and Barnala, as per a medical bulletin.

Jawaharpur village of Dera Bassi in Punjab's Mohali district has become a new coronavirus hotspot in the state with 22 confirmed cases out of the district's total 37 being reported from this rural community, officials said on Thursday.

Among the total 130 cases, Mohali district now tops the COVID 19-tally in Punjab with 37 coronavirus cases, as per the medical bulletin.

Nineteen cases were reported in Nawanshahr, 11 each in Mansa, Jalandhar and Amritsar, 10 in Ludhiana, seven each in Hoshiarpur and Pathankot, four in Moga, three in Rupnagar, two each in Fatehgarh Sahib, Barnala and Faridkot, and one each in Patiala, Muktsar, Sangrur and Kapurthala, as per the medical bulletin.

Two patients are serious, as per the medical bulletin. Of the total number of cases, 10 have died while 18 patients have been discharged from hospital after recovering from the disease.

A total of 3,192 samples have been taken so far in the state out of which 2,777 samples are negative and the reports of 285 samples are still awaited.