Patiala, September 22, 2020 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said today that under the leadership of Chief Minister, Punjab Capt. Amarinder Singh, Punjab would soon be able to control the spread of COVID as per the prevailing trends. In the last few days, the recovery rate in the state is improving further, while the death rate has also come down, he added.
Mr. Sidhu was here to take stock of COVID situation in the district today. During a meeting with the Civil Surgeon and other senior doctors at Mata Kaushalya Government Hospital, here he reviewed the caseload and treatment facilities of COVID.
Responding to the query, he said that the medical kits for home isolated patients would be distributed by finalizing all the arrangements with the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh in a day or two. He said that the patients were being taken care of in their homes in the state and all of them were recovering at a fast pace.
He said that arrangements have been made to meet the oxygen requirement of critically ill patients in the state hospitals and supply of oxygen to the hospitals was being made uninterrupted after taking the issue with suppliers and manufacturers by the Chief Minister.
Interacting with media persons here, the Health Minister expressed hope that the situation of COVID in Punjab would be brought under control soon but for this all sections of the society still need to unite and fight.
Mr. Sidhu also stressed that the media should play its important role in reducing the fear of COVID among the people and curbing rumors. He said that besides the media, the general public would also have to unite to cooperate with doctors and police.
Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that some anti-Punjab and mischievous people were spreading rumors with the intention of tampering with the lives of the common man but the Punjab Government had taken stern action against the perpetrators. He said that political parties were also behind this and the investigation has also revealed the name of a senior leader of Aam Aadmi Party from Ferozepur.
He said that so far 108 different social media accounts have been blocked by the government for spreading falsehoods besides registration of around 80 cases and arrest of 54 persons. A case has also been registered against a US-based channel.
The Health Minister said that it was due to the rumor mongers that the ongoing campaign against COVID in Punjab was affected and the general public had to bear the loss.
Due to these rumors and viral audio / video, people became afraid to get tested and go to hospitals, which led to an increase in deaths due to bringing of patients being very serious in hospitals and coming for treatment late.
He said that testing was supposed to go up to 45 to 50 thousand per day but due to rumors it also came down but now sampling has increased again and it is hoped that soon COVID will be brought under control in the state.
The Health Minister lauded the team of Patiala District Health Department and said that the Civil Surgeon Dr. Harish Malhotra. The teamwork of doctors, paramedics and others have yielded good results and the number of COVID patients and mortality rate in the district is now declining gradually for the last few days.
Dr. Malhotra while briefing the Health and Family Minister Mr. Sidhu of the progress of the district, said that so far 1.23 lakh samples have been tested negative out of total 1.35 lakh. He said that the district has been showing a 77 percent rate of recovery in COVID cases.
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