Coronavirus positive Ludhiana woman dies, death toll rises to three in Punjab

A 42-year-old coronavirus-positive woman died at a Patiala hospital on Monday, taking the COVID-19 death toll in Punjab to three, an official said.

It is the second coronavirus-related death within 24 hours in the state where 41 people are confirmed so far to have been infected by the virus.

The Ludhiana resident was admitted at the hospital on Sunday night, Patiala Civil Surgeon Harish Malhotra said over the phone.

She was complaining of breathlessness and had acute respiratory distress syndrome, he said.

Malhotra said she died around 1.30 pm on Monday, before the report of her samples confirming her as coronavirus positive arrived.

She was among the three patients who tested positive on Monday, taking the coronavirus count in the state to 41.

 

The three people who have died of the infection in the state include a 62-year-old who was undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College in Amritsar.

He succumbed to the virus on Sunday evening.

A 70-year-old Nawanshahr resident died of cardiac arrest on March 18. A medical report, which came in after his death, showed he had tested positive for the infection.

Among the three new coronavirus cases is a 65-year-old resident of Nayagaon in Mohali.

He was admitted to the PGIMER hospital six days ago, Mohali Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan said.

"He was taken to the hospital after he complained of chest pain and breathlessness. Now his test report for coronavirus has come positive. He has no travel history," the official said.

He added that the patient's condition is critical and he is on ventilator support.

"We are tracing all his contacts and their tests will be conducted," he said.

Health authorities have sealed all entry points to Nayagaon area and are taking measures to contain the spread of the virus.

A Patiala resident who had travelled to Dubai also contracted the infection and was admitted to government medical college in Patiala, according to a medical bulletin.

Those who came in contact with him are being traced, it said.

Of the 41 cases reported in the state so far, 19 are from Nawanshahr, seven from Mohali, six from Hoshiarpur, five from Jalandhar, two from Ludhiana and one each from Amritsar and Patiala.

According to a medical bulletin, 1,051 samples have been tested in Punjab so far. Of them, reports of 881 samples came negative and the 131 results are still awaited.