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Just an hour after reports of Punjab extending the curfew emerged amid rising cases of the coronavirus, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh clarified that no decision had been taken on the extension so far. Earlier, reports said that the curfew will continue till April 30. India is already under a nationwide lockdown till April 14, which is likely to be extended further. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a meeting with the opposition leaders, hinted that the lockdown may be extended further as the country is dealing with a "social emergency".
Earlier on Tuesday, Punjab registered a sharp jump in COVID-19 cases after 20 people tested positive for coronavirus, pushing the total in the state top 99. Those infected include three who attended the Tablighi Jamaat gathering in Delhi. Meanwhile, the death toll due to the virus rose to eight on Tuesday after a 65-year-old retired Superintendent engineer.
With seven new cases, Mohali with 26 patients topped the COVID-19 tally, surpassing Nawanshahr (19), another hotspot of the virus in the state. The other cases were reported from Pathankot, Moga, Mansa and Amristar. In Pathankot, six family members of a 75-year-old coronavirus positive woman, who died on April 5, contracted the infection.
Fourteen people have so far been discharged from hospital after recovery. A total of 2,559 samples have been taken so far in the state and of which, the 2,204 samples were negative and reports of 256 samples are still awaited.
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