Himachal: 26 Covid deaths in 24 hours
Shimla: Just a day after Himachal Pradesh decided to set up a vaccination drive, the virus infection gripping four districts bordering Punjab, claimed 26 deaths –the highest single day fatality.
Though the positive cases reported on Friday were only 1189 against 1,695 earlier a day before, the highest single day deaths have created a panic in some of the hotspot districts in the state.
This is despite the fact that the state government has been claiming the situation being under control and having sufficient number of beds available in the Covid care centres at Shimla, Dharamshala and Ner Chowk –Mandi, apart from hospitals in Una, Solan and Nahan.
Two minors–both girls in the age group of 5-year and 10 –year were also among the Covid victims in the state with three districts –Kangra (10) Hamirpur (7) and Solan (6) deaths on Friday.
The state government has not imposed any night curfew in the state so far. Some districts viz Una, Kangra and Hamirpur have imposed night restrictions and ordered closure of the markets on Saturdays and Sundays.
The opposition Congress has attacked the state government of total collapse of the healthcare system and inability of the leadership to provide care to the patients. The test reports are getting delayed for 48-hours or more and by this time, the infected person finds conditions worst for him to survive.
"We have no doubts that Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has not been able to handle the situation. He himself along with BJP ministers have become super–spreaders of infection," said Mukesh Agnihotri, leader of opposition.
He claimed that many people are rushing their patients to Chandigarh and other private hospitals in Uttarakhand and Punjab as they fear that the state government hospitals lack facilities and medical care.
At a high level review meeting, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the government would provide health kits to Covid-19 patients in home isolation. All the people in home isolation will be ensured proper treatment and senior doctors will constantly keep contact with the patients to regularly monitor their health parameters.
He ordered making three liquid oxygen plants functional at Medical colleges in Shimla, Tanda in Kangra district and Ner Chowk in Mandi district to ensure 24x7 oxygen to the Covid-19 patients.
He said all the people of the state coming from different parts of the country must keep themselves under home isolation for at least a week to rule out any possibility of spread of virus, in case they are infected. He said that the people must also voluntarily get themselves tested if they have any ILI symptoms.
Meanwhile, six-time former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who was admitted at a private hospital at Mohali after he was reported Covid positive has now been tested negative.
"There is quite an improvement in his condition and he will be back home soon," said his MLA son Vikramaditya Singh here.
