Punjab adds 198 Covid deaths, 8625 cases in another record single day surge

The death graph in Punjab continued its steep northward surge on Monday, with the state adding a record 198 casualties due to Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, the daily health bulletin said on Monday. The state on Monday added 8625 fresh Covid cases, while also registering 6894 recoveries.

A day before on Sunday (May 9), the state had recorded 191 deaths in the ongoing second wave. During the first wave, the highest single-day death toll of 106 was recorded on September 2 last year.

Meanwhile, on Day 1 of the vaccination drive for population in the age group of 18-44 years at Punjab government hospitals/centres on Monday, a meagre 884 doses were given.

Only 852 construction workers, one among the three “high risk” groups who had been selected to get the jabs on Day 1, got vaccinated on Monday. Nearly 2.19 lakh construction workers in the age group of 18-44 years are registered with the state’s labour department.

As per the district-wise break up of 198 deaths reported on Monday, the maximum deaths — 30 — were recorded from Ludhiana, followed by Bathinda (19), Sangrur (17), Patiala and SAS Nagar (14 each), Muktsar (13), Ferozepur (11), Ropar and Amritsar (10 each), Hoshiarpur (nine), Pathankot, Fazilka and Jalandhar (eight each), Faridkot (five), Kapurthala, Mansa and Gurdaspur (four each), SBS Nagar and Fatehgarh Sahib (three each), Barnala (two) and Tarn Taran and Moga (one each).

The overall Covid toll in Punjab on Monday reached 10,704, with the case fatality rate (CFR) hovering around the 2.37 per cent mark, higher than the national CFR of 1.09 per cent. The number of patients ‘on ventilator support’ has risen to 298 and those on oxygen support are 9376.

The maximum fresh cases Monday were recorded from Ludhiana (1,470), followed by SAS Nagar (1382), Patiala (676), Bathinda (629) and Jalandhar (619).

A total of 39.03 lakh vaccine doses were administered in Punjab till Monday for all beneficiaries — health care, frontline workers, 45+ and people in the age group of 18-44 years.