Punjab today reported 37 new COVID-19 cases. The number is the biggest spike in 24 hours seen by the state till date, taking the tally to 379. Only five out of today's new cases are contacts of positive patients, with all the others being fresh cases. 25 of these are Sikh pilgrims who were brought back from Shri Hazoor Sahib in Maharashtra's Nanded.
Ludhiana reported the maximum number of cases in the last 24 hours. 11 people tested positive of whom seven had returned from Nanded while four others were students who returned from Kota taking districts tally to 29.
Mohali reported eight new cases out of which five were Nanded returnees while three are from Jawahrpur village that now has a total of 43 cases.
Nanded returnees have tested positive in Faridkot (3), Hoshiarpur (3), Bathinda (2), Kapurthala (2), Nawashahar (2), and Sangrur(1).
It is Jalandhar, with two new cases, that has the highest number of cases in the state at 88. The district has also registered a COVID-19 death as reports of a 50-year-old woman who died here on Tuesday have come out positive.
Jalandhar district has emerged as the worst affected by the crisis and the district authorities have sought additional workforce from the state. The authorities have demanded an extra force of health officials to deal with the rising number of positive patients and police personnel for strict implementation of the curfew.
Meanwhile, a group of residents has also demanded that no relaxation should be given in Jalandhar owing to the sensitivity of the situation in the district. There are 30 containment zones in Jalandhar, where the police have also conducted a flag march.