Arteev Sharma
Tribune News Service
Jammu, March 26

As the number of persons who tested positive for coronavirus swelled to 14 with three new cases in Jammu and Kashmir, the UT administration today announced that it would take legal action against the people violating the 21-day-long lockdown.

The government, while tightening the restrictions, also closed all petrol pumps in Jammu city to keep people indoors. “The first priority is to give passes to health professionals, followed by pharmacists and perishable industry. Pumps will open later. No need to worry as things will stabilise in three-four days,” Sushma Chauhan, District Magistrate, Jammu, said.

Apart from corporal punishment, the police, in some areas, have now started putting stamps reading “Corona lockdown violator” on forearms and foreheads of the violators. The police have been using permanent ink that would take around 15 days to erase. The move also brought sharp criticism from a section of the society.

“Those violating the lockdown orders can face legal action under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, which lays down punishment as per Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, for flouting such orders,” the UT government said in its advisory.

According to the government, 5,482 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for surveillance and, so far, 14 cases have tested positive in Jammu and Kashmir, including 12 active positive, a recovered and the death of an infected person in Kashmir. In Jammu, the district administration, however, had claimed that two out of three infected persons have recovered.

The daily media bulletin on novel coronavirus (Covid-19) disclosed that 3,053 persons have been kept under home quarantine, including at facilities operated by the government, while 117 are in hospital quarantine.

Persons who are under home surveillance stand at 1,761, while 551 persons have completed their 28-day surveillance period.

Further, the bulletin said 379 samples had been sent for testing, of which 341 tested negative and 13 cases tested positive, of which one recovered and one died. It said reports of 25 cases were awaited till March 26.

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 26

As India wages war against COVID-19, the country requires more isolation wards and to meet the requirement, the government has decided to turn a chain of 32 paramilitary forces hospitals across the country with a total capacity of about 1,900 beds into isolation and treatment facilities to treat affected patients.

Officials in the Ministry of Home Affairs said, these 32 hospitals are operated by forces like the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and are located at places like Greater Noida, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Jammu, Tekanpur (Gwalior), Dimapur, Imphal, Nagpur, Silchar, Bhopal, Avadi, Jodhpur, Kolkata, Pune and Bengaluru, among others.

The officials said an “urgent” decision to takeover these “composite hospitals” of the forces was taken at a high-level meeting at MHA that was chaired by the secretary of border management.

According to the decision, the officials said an order has been issued by the medical establishment of these forces, which said that these hospitals have been “designated and earmarked for the purpose of isolation cum treatment of COVID-19 patients as and when they arrive”.

In the order it has also been advised that arrangements should be made to shift people already admitted to another location in case more number of coronavirus-affected people are brought there.

The Central government earlier this month had also directed the CAPFs to prepare quarantine facilities with a bed capacity to admit over 5,400 people at their 37 locations in the country to deal with coronavirus cases.

Border guarding force ITBP is already running the largest such CAPF quarantine centre, which can accommodate 1,000 people in the national capital’s Chhawla area.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 26

As more cases of Covid-19 emerge across the country, the Armed Forces Medical Services have ramped up training of its personnel and put into effect additional safety procedures to deal with the pandemic.

According to Army sources, additional capsule courses, summaries and advisories have been developed for medical and paramedical personnel at military hospitals and medical establishments in the field. Measures adopted by other countries for treatment, sanitisation and other precautionary measures are also being studied.

“As the focus of research and studies across the global medical fraternity converges on coronavirus, we are sharing the findings and recommendations with our personnel,” an Army doctor said. “Regular briefings on the subject are being held for hospital staff and they are being updated constantly on the threat being posed and the measures to mitigate it,” he added. Standing hospital operating procedures, treatment methodology, emergency response teams and test facilities have been reviewed and fine tuned for catering to the unprecedented situation.

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• Stage 1 or imported and sporadic cases: When only those who have travelled to virus-hit countries test positive.
• Stage 2 or local transmission: When the source of the transmission is known and can be located, usually with ones close to the patient such as family or people s/he have come in contact with.
• Stage 3 or community transmission: When the source of the infection cannot be located. This happens when a patient tests positive despite no exposure to an infected person nor any history of travelling to an infected country.
• Stage 4: When the disease is termed an epidemic, or an outbreak so severe with no clear end point for the ongoing transmission.

ew Delhi, March 26

Death toll due to coronavirus (COVID-19) rose to 16 in India on Thursday with cases soaring to 694, Union Health Ministry said in its latest update.

The ministry earlier asserted that the rate of increase in the positive cases was “relatively stable” in India.

The Union health ministry officials also said India was at the second stage as there is still no “hard evidence” to say that there has been community transmission of the fast-spreading coronavirus, remarks which may provide anxious citizens with much needed assurance and hope.

As the virus kept extending its footprint, the Central and state governments unleashed measures on a war-footing. While the Union finance ministry unveiled a Rs 1.70 lakh crore economic package involving free foodgrain and cooking gas to poor for the next three months, one-time doles to women and poor senior citizens among other benefits, and the health ministry announced that 17 states have started to earmark hospitals for dedicated treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Addressing a media briefing on the COVID-19 situation, health ministry joint secretary Lav Agarwal said “there is still no hard evidence to say there has been community transmission of coronavirus in India” and assured that the country was geared to tackle the coronavirus challenge.

Though the cases of coronavirus are increasing in India, but “we are realising that the rate at which cases are increasing…seeing relatively a stable trend or little bit reduction in the rate of increase in cases,” he added.

“This, however, does not establish a clear trend. We are hopeful that by following social distancing policy, conducting a proper contact tracing and by ensuring all people at home quarantine are monitored, we will be able to combat the disease,” he said.

17 states earmarking hospitals for dedicated treatment of COVID-19 patients: Health Ministry

India is under a complete lockdown for 21 days since Wednesday, in a desperate measure to contain the spread of the virus. Globally, the death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 21,293 with more than 471,518 cases reported in over 170 countries and territories, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Maharashtra has reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases so far at 124, including three foreign nationals, followed by Kerala, where the number of cases has climbed up to 118, including eight foreign nationals, according to the ministry data.

The number of cases in Telangana has gone up to 41, including 10 foreigners.

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Karnataka has reported 41 COVID-19 cases, while the number of cases in Gujarat has climbed to 38, including a foreigner.

The number of cases in Rajasthan has increased to 38, including two foreigners. Uttar Pradesh has reported 37 cases, including a foreigner, while the number of positive cases in Delhi has gone up to 35, including a foreigner.

Punjab has reported 33 cases, while 30 COVID-19 cases have so far been detected in Haryana, including 14 foreigners.

The number of cases has climbed to 26 Tamil Nadu, including six foreigners. Madhya Pradesh has recorded 15 cases, Ladakh 13, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir have reported 11 cases each, while West Bengal has nine COVID-19 patients.

Chandigarh has reported seven cases so far and Uttarakhand five, including a foreigner.

Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh have reported three cases each, while two cases have been detected in Odisha.

Goa has reported three coronavirus cases. Earlier, the ministry had wrongly attributed 33 cases to the coastal state. Subsequently, the figure was revised.

Puducherry, Mizoram and Manipur have reported one case each.

There are four stages of the infection — stage 1 or imported and sporadic cases :When only those who have travelled to virus-hit countries test positive, stage 2 or local transmission: When the source of the transmission is known and can be located, usually with ones close to the patient such as family or people s/he have come in contact with. Those who test positive at this stage are those who have a history of travel to affected countries or are in close contact with those who have.

Stage 3 or community transmission :When the source of the infection cannot be located. This happens when a patient tests positive despite no exposure to an infected person nor any history of travelling to an infected country. Many countries, including Italy and Spain have reported such cases and stage 4 : When the disease is termed an epidemic, or an outbreak so severe with no clear end point for the ongoing transmission.

Man tests positive for COVID-19 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands    

A man, in his mid-30s, tested positive for the COVID-19 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Thursday, the first case in the union territory, officials said.

The man, a resident of Mayabunder, had returned from Kolkata on March 24, Chief Secretary Chetan Sanghi said.

His condition is currently stable, doctors treating him said. — PTI

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Chandigarh, March 26

Buses operated by the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking have been deployed for delivery of vegetables and fruits on the doorstep as people remained indoors due to a curfew imposed to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

The delivery of essential items began on Thursday, a day after many city residents complained of not receiving supply of vegetables, fruits and dairy products, and blamed the Union Territory administration for failing to address the situation.

“A total of 150 buses will ply in the entire city, villages, slum areas and rehabilitation colonies to deliver vegetables and other essential items,” Chandigarh Municipal Corporation Commissioner K K Yadav said.

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A 21-day nationwide lockdown to check the spread of the deadly virus, which has infected nearly 650 people in India so far including seven in Chandigarh, came into force on Wednesday.

Moreover, the UT of Chandigarh Administration has imposed curfew in the city to combat coronavirus.

The administration has decided not to give any relaxation in curfew and has announced that it will ensure delivery of milk, vegetables, groceries and medicines on the doorstep through government and private carriers.

Contact numbers of vendors and shopkeepers have been shared by the administration for allowing people to place orders.

However, many of these numbers are non-functional.

“I have been making attempts to contact the vendors and shopkeepers on their numbers provided by the authorities, but either these do not exist or are incorrect,” a resident, Sanjeev Kumar, said and claimed that he had not received milk for the past two days.

On Wednesday, the administration had asked vendors to supply vegetables in the city but they exhausted their stocks wherever they reached first for delivery.

The administration has deployed civic and police officials along with vendors in each bus for ensuring smooth delivery.

The delivery of these essentials will be made between 10 am and 1 pm, officials said.

People have to maintain adequate distance with each other for procuring vegetables, they said.

The buses will also be properly sanitised and vendors would wear protective gear while delivering essential items, they said.

Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 26

With two more cases reported on Thursday, the number of confirmed Coronavirus cases has reached 33 in Punjab.

The fresh cases were reported from Jalandhar and SBS Nagar districts. SBS Nagar patient had contracted infection from an already confirmed positive patient while the Jalandhar patient who is admitted in a hospital in Ludhiana had a travel history.

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The health department said that the condition of all the positive cases is stable.

According to health department, those who have got into close contact with these patients have been put under quarantine and surveillance and samples sent for testing.

Officials said in the past one week 205 samples have been collected out of which 33 have been found to be positive.  Besides, the health department has identified 667 persons who were in contact with the infected people and have been quarantined.  The result of 151 cases is awaited.

The confirmed cases include 19 from SBS Nagar, five from Mohali, four from Jalandhar and three from Hoshiarpur and while one each are from Amritsar and Ludhiana.  No confirmed case has been reported from rest of the 17 districts, said officials.

25 CRORES RELEASED TO DISTRICTS

Twenty five crores which were allocated to health department for Coronavirus control last week by the state government has been placed at the disposal of Deputy Commissioners and District health officials. The funds besides creating awareness will be utilized for purchase of equipments

DISTRICT WISE CASES

SBS Nagar   19

SAS Nagar   5

Jalandhar    4

Hoshiarpur   3

Amritsar   1

Ludhiana   1

DAY-WISE SAMPLES COLLECTED     POSITIVE CASES

March 18                        5                            1

March 19                       18                           7

March 20                        34                         14

March 21                         36                          4

March 22                         22                          1

March 23                         50                          1

March 24                         87                           2

March 25                         205                         2

Tribune News Service 
Chandigarh, March 26 

Essential items were not delivered at the doorstep in Punjab and people across the state were left scrambling for medicines and vegetables.

Contrary to the claims of the Amritsar administration, essential items like milk, vegetables and medicines could not be delivered at the doorstep.

Chemists, who were designated by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, for home delivery of medicines, failed to respond when contacted on their phone numbers.

The numbers of chemists provided to cater the Mall road, Taylor Road, Lawrence Road for medicines were either found to be defunct or busy.

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday announced immediate distribution of 10 lakh packets of dry rations to daily wagers and unorganised labourers in the state to help them through the contingency situation triggered by the curfew imposed in light of the COVID-19 crisis.

The packets, containing 10 kg atta, 2 kg dal and 2 kg of sugar each, would be distributed in the slums and other pockets where such daily wagers and labourers are staying in large numbers, an official spokesperson said.

The chief minister also ordered these packets to be made available at the offices of the deputy commissioners to support any such persons who do not get covered in the door-to-door distribution and may call the helpline numbers for food.

Health officials justified it by saying that the chemists remained overburdened and their phones kept busy as they were overburdened. They claim that the number of chemists would be increased.

The scenario was dismal when it came to vegetable suppliers. The contact number of vegetable vendors were either switched off or they did not respond to calls.

Police too appeared to be insensitive to people’s requirement. Majority of the milkmen were refused access to the urban areas to distribute milk, even though the administration had allowed them between 5 am and 8 am. Similarly, the milk collection centres of Verka in villages were not allowed to operate. Farmers have no choice to make khoya or Desi ghee at their places.

In the absence of a wholesale market, the retailers were out of stock, be it groceries, vegetables or medicines.

Sushil Manav
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 26

Amid reports of delivery boys being intercepted by the police during the current lockdown resulting in hardships to common people in getting groceries, medicines and other essential  items, Haryana is set to launch the  process of issuing passes to such people from Thursday.

In an exclusive interaction with The Tribune, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that establishments offering essential services such as grocery, pharmaceutical products and food, including online retailers, will have to apply online for the number of passes they needed.

Haryana launches website for lockdown passes, helpline numbers; wheat procurement from April 20

“The online portal is likely to be launched by Thursday evening itself, and the government will ensure that the passes are issued as soon as possible once the process of applications begins,” Khattar said.

When his attention was drawn towards complaints coming from various districts of the state that the police had been harassing delivery executives, including those going to people to supply essential goods such as medicines, the CM maintained that the police could not be blamed for this, as the cops doing duty on the streets could not differentiate between a delivery person or a common man.

“When they have been mandated to make sure that people do not venture out of their houses in view of the lockdown that has been imposed in the public interest to arrest the spread of the deadly Covid-19, they are supposed to stop everyone who comes out unless the person has a pass authorising one for the purpose one is outside. The passes will serve this purpose and we will make sure that we issue these passes as soon as possible,” he said.

He said that once these people get passes issued by the state government, they will not have any problems, as the police will allow them to move about after seeing their identity proof.

Khattar said the government realised the importance of keeping home delivery of essential commodities and supply chains of online retailers unhindered, as it helped in keeping a large majority of the middle class stay indoors during the lockdown, and the government was left with the task of ensuring supplies to the lower strata of society.

On being informed that the supply of newspapers, including The Tribune, was being hindered in most parts of the state despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauding the role of media in the present situation, Khattar said that newspaper dealers could also apply for passes for their hawkers.

Khattar expressed satisfaction over the implementation of the lockdown so far.

The Haryana Police had on Wednesday assured residents that e-commerce services such as Zomato, Big Basket, Amazon and Flipkart would continue to function during the 21-day Covid-19 nationwide lockdown. There were complaints that policemen were intercepting delivery men and there were even incidents of manhandling.

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