Covid-19: Administration on high alert; screening teams yet to be deployed at international entry points in Amritsar
AMRITSAR: Although no suspected COVID-19 cases were reported in the holy city—despite its regular influx of international travellers—the administration is yet to decide to deploy dedicated COVID inspection teams at both Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport and the Attari International Border to monitor and identify any potential cases.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
While maintaining that the administration remains on high alert in light of the COVID-19 situation, Civil Surgeon Dr Kirandeep Kaur said that no advisory was received from either the state or central government regarding the deployment of dedicated medical teams for the screening of international travellers for COVID-19 at ports of entry.
According to the COVID-19 Statewide Status of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, there were 33 COVID-19 active cases in Punjab as of June 11, while the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir had 2 and 9 active cases, respectively.
Dr Ameesha Mahajan of Eden Skin Clinic said that COVID-19 cases are once again on the rise but emphasised that there is no cause for panic. "The new variants have not been declared Variants of Concern by the WHO," she said, adding that lessons from past experience show that simple precautions—such as hand hygiene, masking in crowded places, and staying up to date with vaccinations—continue to be highly effective. "Vaccines remain our strongest shield against severe disease," Ameesha affirmed.
Dr Kirandeep Kaur informed that the Health Department set up isolated wards at the Government Medical College (GMC) , Civil Hospital, and other government facilities, with 300 beds earmarked for COVID-19 patients at GMC alone, in preparation for any emergency. She added that once an advisory is received from either the state or central government, dedicated medical teams will also be deployed at the international airport and the Attari land port.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Three more test +ve for COVID, tally reaches 29
Three new COVID-19 cases were reported in the district on Thursday, taking the tally total to 29 cases. The new cases include three women aged 17,18, and 29 respectively. While one is reported to be asymptomatic, the rest are only mildly symptomatic. Earlier on Wednesday, no positive cases were reported in the district. Of the total 26 cases reported so far, only 13 are positive at present. All these 13 are only mildly symptomatic and in home isolation. 14 people have recovered so far. Two people, one 40-year-old man and another 69-year-old lady, both suffering from comorbid conditions, have died of the infection. All the people reported positive have been vaccinated for COVID-19, except an 18-year-old.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Delhi govt to discontinue bike ambulance service
N ew Delhi: Delhi govt has decided to discontinue the bike ambulance service launched by AAP govt in Feb 2019 after finding it unsuitable in the city's extreme weather conditions. The bike ambulance service was started in 2019 by the previous AAP govt. It was aimed at providing first aid for emergencies at home. The then govt launched 16 first-responder bikes, which operated in east, north-east Delhi, and Shahdara as part of a pilot project. The scheme was halted because of the Covid lockdown in 2020, but there were plans to give it a fresh push last year. Senior officials, however, said that they have now handed over the bikes to the general administration department of Delhi govt, and there have been suggestions if they can be used by the fire department. "Delhi mostly has extreme weather conditions. Also, there is a tendency among patients to call emergency services like ambulances mostly when they are critical. For critical patients, it is difficult to sit on a bike," an official said. The official mentioned that govt would instead focus more on expanding vans as ambulance services. Officials said govt plans to enhance its emergency medical response capabilities by incorporating 103 additional ambulances into the Centralised Accident and Trauma Service (CATS). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The expansion, which aims to bolster urgent healthcare services across Delhi, includes the procurement of 50 geriatric-friendly advanced life support (ALS) ambulances that will be operated by an outsourced agency, officials said. Private ambulance operators have been invited to submit applications for 53 basic life support (BLS) vehicles, including drivers and qualified paramedical staff. While starting the bike ambulance service, the then AAP govt had said that two-wheelers can reach places where four-wheelers cannot. In many cases requiring medical attention, a few minutes can mean a difference between life and death. "These bike ambulances are handy as they can reach the site quickly in congested areas, provide first aid, and stabilise a patient's condition before an ambulance arrives. They also inform the control room about the case, if required," it said. Officials, however, said that the bike ambulances are more useful in areas with rough terrain where cars cannot reach at all, but in Delhi, that is not the case. These bike ambulances were equipped with kits, weighing 30kg, that contained air splints to immobilise joints, ambu bags for assisted breathing, a glucometer and a pulse oximeter to check a person's blood glucose and oxygen saturation. They also had a manual suction machine to clear airways and foldable transfer sheets to move patients in a narrow stairwell or from a narrow lane to the ambulance. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Third Covid-related death recorded in MP this year
Indore: A 52-year-old COVID-19 positive woman from Ratlam died late on Wednesday in Indore, marking the third coronavirus related death in the state this year. The woman had severe pre-existing conditions, including TB, bronchitis and high blood pressure. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Indore health department officials said that the patient was admitted to a private hospital on Sunday after she complained of breathing difficulties. On Tuesday, she was tested positive for COVID-19 infection, after which she was transferred to the isolation ward of govt-run MRTB Hospital. She succumbed to the illness late on Wednesday. While the death occurred in Indore, it will be recorded under Ratlam district's official records. This fatality follows the death of a 44-year-old woman from Khargone on June 6 at MRTB Hospital. She tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after delivering a baby at MTH Hospital. Prior to that, a 74-year-old kidney patient from Indore died at Aurobindo Hospital on April 27. "On Thursday, a total of seven new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Indore," the district epidemiologist Dr Anshul Mishra said, adding that with these new cases, the total number of COVID-19 patients detected in Indore this year has reached 88, including around a dozen patients who are residents of other districts. "Besides, COVID-19 related death toll has reached at three in this calendar year. Of them, one was a resident of Indore while one each were from Khargone and Ratlam," Dr Mishra said. Most of the active patients are currently in home isolation and are reported to be in stable condition, she added. Among the nine COVID-19 patients identified on Tuesday, a 67-year-old elderly person with co-morbidities has been admitted to a private hospital. Similarly, another 50-year-old individual, experiencing breathing difficulties and other complications, has also been hospitalised in a private facility. Indore CMHO Dr Madhav Hasani reassured the public that current COVID-19 patients are exhibiting very mild symptoms, and there is no cause for panic.
