97 people who came from Delhi to Punjab in past 1 month test COVID-19 positive: Pb health minister

(Eds: Updating with fresh details)

Chandigarh, Jun 13 () A total of 97 people who came from Delhi to Punjab in the past one month have tested positive for coronavirus, state Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said on Saturday.

Hitting out at the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, Sidhu alleged that these symptomatic people came to Punjab for coronavirus testing after they "failed" to get themselves tested in the government hospitals in the national capital.

"Failing to get any treatment in Delhi, symptomatic persons are coming to Punjab to get themselves tested," Sidhu said in a statement here.

A total of 97 people who came from Delhi in the past one month tested positive and now they are being treated here, he said.

However, it is yet to be ascertained how many of them were permanent residents of Delhi.

Three residents of Delhi have been admitted at Rajindra Hospital in Patiala after they tested positive, while one positive patient from the national capital came to Mohali, the Punjab government officials said on Saturday.

After approaching their relatives or friends in Patiala, the three patients reached the hospital for coronavirus testing and treatment, the officials said.

A COVID-19 patient from Delhi came to Mohali on Friday night for treatment, officials said.

"We have isolated him and will treat him," said Mohali Civil Surgeon Manjit Singh.

Sidhu alleged that people in the national capital were being denied testing and medical services.

He took a swipe at the Kejriwal-led Delhi government, saying the situation exposed the "tall claims" of the Delhi chief minister who used to say they had successful health services there.

The state health minister said the state government will provide treatment to every patient.

"Today, the Delhi government has given up. They used to say their Mohalla clinics and hospitals were very successful," he alleged.

Sidhu said to avoid any unprecedented situation, he had already directed the civil surgeons to keep a close watch on the state borders so as to ensure screening of every person coming from Delhi.

He said it is matter of concern that a large number of symptomatic people are moving from Delhi to Punjab for getting all free of cost treatment facilities.

"It has come into light that due to the massive level of outbreak occurring in the national capital, people are battling for COVID-19 test as well as for getting beds in the government hospitals," Sidhu alleged.

It is shocking to even imagine the critical situation of Delhi where common people are crying for help and moving from one hospital to another hospital to just give samples, he said.

The minister said that hundreds of videos of such incidents are viral on social media which clearly exposed the "bad" arrangements of the Delhi government to deal with COVID-19.

He further said the health department has commenced house-to-house screening to collect data of every person having symptoms of the deadly virus. CHS VSD KJ KJ KJ