Covid-19 cases cross 2,000 mark in Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: With 81 fresh cases, tally of Covid-19 patients reached 2,023 in Uttarakhand on Wednesday. While the state had seen barely 100 cases in the initial two months of the infection (March 15-May 15), the number has crossed 2,000 count in the past one month.
Similar is the case with deaths -- the state had just six deaths till May 31 which rose to 26 in the past 17 days.
Among the new cases reported on Wednesday, 35 alone are from Dehradun. According to the health department, four vegetable vendors/traders from Niranjanpur Sabzi Mandi were reported Covid positive on Wednesday along with 19 others. An official working in the higher education department at secretariat was also reportedly infected with novel coronavirus.
“Almora also reported 14 new cases on Wednesday, followed by nine in Tehri, eight in Nainital, five in Begeshwar, three each in Haridwar and US Nagar, two in Rudraprayag and one each in Uttarkashi and Pauri,” said additional secretary (health) Yugal Kishore Pant.
The health department added that an 18-year-old man died at Susheela Tiwari Medical College, Haldwani.
“As per information provided by the hospital, the deceased was referred from district hospital Bageshwar. He had a travel history from Delhi and as per clinical diagnosis, the death summary report states that the deceased was suffering from Covid-19, pneumonia, ARDS Type-1 respiratory failure/shock,” Pant added.
Also, with 38 people getting discharged from various districts, the total people who have recovered from the infection in the state are now 1,245. “It took two months for Uttarakhand to reach 100 cases of corona virus as till May 15, there were just 82 cases in the state. From May 16 to June 2, the cases rose to 1042. In the past 14 days, we have crossed 2,000 cases,” said a health department official.
Meanwhile, the state government on Wednesday designated Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) as a centre of excellence for clinical management of Covid-19. According to the letter issued by secretary health, Amit Negi, Dr Anurag Aggarwal, professor and head of department of Respiratory Medicine of the Doon hospital will be the nodal officer for the same.
Dr Ashutosh Sayana, principal of GDMC, expressed happiness over the medical college being given appreciation by the state government. “As per government orders, Doon hospital will set protocol of treatment process for all the hospital in the state. We will also train MBBS doctors statewide and also provide all possible assistance in terms of training and support to medical institutions in Uttarakhand,” he said.