Punjab: Over 40 Women Tested Positive For COVID-19 In Patiala's Nabha jail

More than 40 women prisoners and a child tested positive for COVID-19 in Nabha jail, Patiala, Punjab. They have now been transferred to another location.

The Punjab health department had collected random samples from the women prisoners for the COVID-19 testing within the jail premises. According to prison authorities, about 47 women prisoners tested positive for COVID-19. The jail superintendent has revealed that to the jail employees, officers are getting vaccinated for COVID-19. The Punjab health department said that those prisoners who have tested negative for the virus will be vaccinated too.

Punjab | 43 women prisoners & a child have tested positive for COVID. They've been transferred to another location. A team from Dist Admin is conducting testing in the jail premises. Jail employees and officers being vaccinated: Jail Superintendent, Patiala's New Nabha jail pic.twitter.com/jiDA5fkhxV

— ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2021

So far, Punjab reported 2,914 fresh coronavirus cases, and 59 deaths as of Monday. The total case tally has now risen to 2,34,602.

Till now, Jalandhar had reported a maximum amount of coronavirus cases (360), followed by Amritsar (357), Ludhiana (343), Patiala (290) and Mohali (286).

About 6,749 people have died due to the coronavirus in Punjab.

Punjab government approves of launching COVID-19 vaccination drive in prisons, after women prisoners from Nabha jail tested positive for COVID-19

Due to the worsening COVID-19 situation, the Punjab government has extended the COVID-19 restrictions till April 10. The announcement for the same was made by Punjab's chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh. He has also called for conducting a vaccination drive for prisoners after women prisoners tested positive for COVID-19 in Patiala's Nabha jail. He has also given orders to the chief secretary Vini Mahajan to issue directions for conducting COVID-19 testing in crowded areas such as busy market places.

Rajesh Bhushan, the union health secretary has lashed out at the Punjab government for not testing the required number of people for COVID-19.

"In February, the average number of daily cases in Punjab was 240. Today, this number has risen to 2,742 cases per day. This shows that adequate number of tests are not being done, nor are they (state government) able to promptly track and isolate infected people," Rajesh Bhushan said in a media conference.