A seventy-year old man from Punjab is India’s fourth casualty due to novel coronavirus (Covid-19). The patient had arrived from Germany into Punjab via Italy.

A few days ago, his health deteriorated and he was admitted to civil hospital in Nawanshahr and was subsequently admitted to PGI Chandigarh where he breathed his last on Thursday.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has confirmed 197 cases of Covid-19 in the country of which 20 have been cured and four have died. “The patient had co-morbidities including high blood pressure and diabetes,” said Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, MoHFW.

Agarwal remained tight-lipped about the 20-year-old male case from Chennai, being that of community transmission. He also refused to share details of the possibility of where the male could have contracted the infection from, given that the the patient had no international travel history or possible contact with any one who had travelled from abroad.

“We continue to remain in Phase two stage of local transmission,” Agarwal said.

PM, CMs conference

Officials said that on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have a video conference meeting with all Chief Ministers to discuss containment strategies for Covid-19. Major cities such as Pune, Mysore, Nagpur, Nashik, Noida, Gurgaon, and States such as Rajasthan, and Union Territory of Ladakh have imposed Section 144 to avoid large gatherings.

In light of eight positive cases recorded in Ladakh, including one army jawan, the union territory has imposed Section 144 to avoid gathering of more than five persons.

The spread has occurred from a pilgrim who had returned from Iran, and up to 284 including those who have returned from Iran, their contacts and other suspects.

“Of these 208 persons are in home quarantine, and 150 have finished their 14-day quarantine period. 58 persons are quarantined in hospitals and 18 persons (including positive cases) are in hospital isolation,” an official said.

A close down in Ladakh implies that all government offices except power, water supply, food and civil supply, petrol pumps, police, revenue and municipalities are operating from home based set-up. Public transport has been barred, though banks and ATMs are open. Passenger movement on Zojila pass has been barred, said the official.

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