40-year-old man dies of Covid-19 in Chandigarh

Chandigarh: A 40-year-old man who had tested positive for Covid-19 died at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Chandigarh on Wednesday, officials said.

This was the first Covid-related death reported in a health facility in Chandigarh.

However, hospital authorities have not yet confirmed whether the patient was infected with the latest JN.1 variant.

The patient, originally from Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh, had been referred to GMCH from Ludhiana after testing positive for Covid-19.

A day earlier, GMCH Director Dr. Ashok Atri stated that the patient’s data had been entered in the required format, and he had been isolated in the Covid area, where two ventilators were set up.

He added, “There is no need to worry as of now.”

Punjab’s first Covid-19 case this season was recorded two days ago when a 51-year-old woman from Haryana’s Yamunanagar tested positive at Fortis Hospital in Mohali.

In Haryana, state Health Minister Arti Singh Rao said last week that there are four active Covid-19 cases — two each in Gurugram and Faridabad.

None of the infected individuals have a travel history.

In a statement, the minister added that all four patients — two men and two women — have mild symptoms and are under home quarantine.

“There has been no need for hospitalisation, and all patients are under regular medical supervision. All four individuals were vaccinated. One earlier Covid patient from Gurugram has already recovered,” she said in her May 23 statement.

She assured that, given the recent rise in cases across the country, the Health Department is monitoring the situation and taking necessary precautions to ensure public safety and preparedness.

In Bihar’s capital, six new Covid-19 infections have been confirmed, including cases among healthcare workers at AIIMS-Patna.

The spike has prompted hospitals across the state to go on high alert, reinstating precautionary measures.

Among those infected are a female doctor, a nurse, and another AIIMS employee, all currently receiving treatment under the supervision of senior doctors.

Two additional patients at Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH) have also tested positive. Another case involves a 42-year-old man from the RPS Mod area, whose test was conducted at a private lab in Raja Bazar.

According to Civil Surgeon Dr. Avinash Kumar Singh, the city currently has nine active Covid-19 cases.

Of these, three have been hospitalised, while six are in home isolation.

In response, hospitals are preparing for a possible rise in cases.

Rajasthan reported nine new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, including a 16-day-old infant, taking the state’s total to 32 cases this year.

Seven cases were from Jaipur and two from AIIMS Jodhpur.

The Health Department has sent all patient samples for genome sequencing.

Officials said that two cases were identified at AIIMS Jodhpur and two at SMS Hospital, Jaipur.

The Uttar Pradesh government has announced that over 2,800 employees who worked during the earlier Covid waves will now be retained in permanent service.

The decision comes amid the current surge in Covid-19 cases.

According to Dr. Arjun Dang, CEO of Dr. Dangs Lab, the rising infections are largely attributed to a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant.