The district registered 5,684 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday. The test positivity rate (TPR) stood at 45.8%, slightly below Tuesday's 47.8%.
Of the total cases, contact transmission accounted for 5,487 cases and the source remained unknown in 157. While the district reported 1,206 recoveries on Wednesday, 40,701 people are currently under treatment for the infection, according to official figures released by the district administration. In all, 12,391 tests were carried out over 24 hours.
With the steep rise in infections, District Collector Navjot Khosa issued a new set of guidelines for private and cooperative hospitals. The guidelines require these hospitals to set apart 50% of the beds for COVID-19 patients. Beds equipped with oxygen supplies and ventilators are to be earmarked for COVID-19 patients.
All COVID-19 care centres in the district have been instructed to maintain contact with the District Programme Management and Support Unit functioning at the District Collectorate, the administration said. The centres are required to update information on infrastructure, including ICU and ventilators, COVID-19 patients seeking treatment, discharged patients, and referred patients every four hours on the COVID-19 Jagratha portal. Failure to comply will attract action under the Disaster Management Act 2005, the district administration said.
Treatment centres are not permitted to refer patients to government hospitals or other private hospitals without contacting the District Programme and Support Management Unit and ensuring that adequate facilities are available.
Among health workers
The number of health-care workers in the daily COVID-19 caseload continues to be alarmingly high in the district, even as the district administration scrambles to tackle the third wave. More than 350 health-care workers tested positive in the past 10 days alone, show official figures. This included 38 new cases reported on Wednesday. More than 40 cases each were reported from Saturday to Tuesday. On Tuesday, the number was as high as 67.
Given the increase in cases, the District Collector has urged the people to observe COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and undergo testing even if the symptoms are mild.
