Chandigarh’s COVID-19 cases have been galloping after crossing the 1000-mark as the average growth rate of new infections is recorded at 5.6 percent, double than the national growth rate of 2.6 percent.
The fresh spurt of cases in the month of August in Chandigarh has pushed the city’s COVID-19 related parameters from bad to worse. While the total tally of positive cases has now crossed 2300-mark, there were more than 1000 active cases in the city till Tuesday evening. Only a day before, the city had clocked its highest single-day spike of 114 positive cases.
The daily growth rate of COVID-19 cases, averaged over a seven-day period in Chandigarh has already surpassed the worst affected states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and others in the country. At 5.6 percent average growth rate of infections, the city stands at the third position in the country, behind only Andaman and Nicobar Islands (7.2%) and Puducherry (6.1 %).
The growth rate of fresh cases in neighboring states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal stood at 4.5 percent, 1.9 percent and 2.9 percent respectively. The average growth rate essentially means the speed at which COVID-19 infections increase.
Chandigarh also figures in the list of states/union territories having the worst recovery track record. The recovery rate of COVID-19 positive cases in Chandigarh was 53.9 percent, far behind the national average of 73.18 percent. The recovery rate of cases in northern states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan stood at 61.7 percent, 84.5 percent, 67.4 percent, 90.2 percent and 75.7 percent, as per government’s data as on August 18.
With 30 residents succumbing to COVID-19 till now, the city with an estimated population of 12 lakh people has recorded fatality rate at 1.30 percent.
As the disease graph continues to peak, Chandigarh has reported 1257 positive cases in the month of August till now.
The city had recorded its first COVID-19 case on March 19. Between March 19 and June 30, the union territory was in a comfortable position recording a total of 440 positive cases. However, with easing of lockdown restrictions in July, the month witnessed 608 positive cases and the total tally breached 1000-mark on July 30.
As per the estimate of the UT Health Department, the positive cases are likely to cross 3000-mark in less than a week’s time in the city.
Notably, the positive cases had crossed 100-mark on M0contain the spread of infection. As per the data with the UT Health Department, there were 49 critical patients from Chandigarh admitted in PGIMER, 34 critical patients in Sector 48 hospital, 59 in GMCH-32, 44 in Dhanwantary Hospital, 126 in Sood Dharamshala, 134 in hostels of Panjab University, 102 in Sports Complex Sector 42, 25 in Community Centre Sector 47, five in Panchayat Bhawan, 74 in Sector 53 facility, 68 in Maloya centre among other COVID Care Centres till Monday night.
The NHE, PGIMER with 200-bedded treatment facility and Sector 48 Hospital with 100 beds are dedicated COVID Hospitals for critical patients.
Apart from this, both PGIMER and GMCH-32 are in process of making arrangements for additional 100-bedded facility each for critical patients from Chandigarh, in view of rapid increase in the infections. COVID-19 patients from Punjab, Haryana and other states are also currently admitted in PGIMER and GMCH-32 due to which both institutes are nearing its occupancy.
UT Administration has put in place its COVID-19 contingency plan under which arrangements for management of about 3600 active cases of COVID-19 on the worst day of the spread in Chandigarh has been made. Under this, arrangements are being made for 360 severe patients that need to be accommodated in dedicated COVID hospitals on a peak day.
89 FRESH CASES IN CHANDIGARH
Chandigarh reported 89 fresh COVID-19 cases on Tuesday taking the total tally to 2305. 60 patients were also declared cured following which the total recoveries reached 1243 in the city. There were a total of 1030 active positive cases till the evening.
The fresh infections were reported from Sectors 4, 8, 10, 15, 19, 22, 30, 32, 35, 37, 40, 42, 44, 45, 47, 52, 56, 61, 63, Bapu Dham colony in Sector 26, Dadumajra, Hallomajra, Kajheri, Dhanas, Khuda Lahora, Khuda Alisher, PGIMER, Raipur Kalan, Maloya, Mauli Jagran and Kishangarh, the bulletin stated. Among the fresh cases, a six-month old female child from Sector 39 and two years old male child from Kishangarh were found infected with the virus. A maximum of 15 positive cases from Kishangarh followed by 11 fresh cases from Sector 40 were reported on Tuesday, according to the bulletin.
Only a day before, the city had seen its highest single-day spike with 114 COVID-19 cases. The Administration has decided to start mobile testing facilities for antigen testing, so that testing teams could go on mobile vans and collect samples to give test results on-the-spot.
