Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday ordered an increase in number of Covid tests to at least 60,000 per day. His statement comes amid projections that cases will double in about 64 days at the current growth rate.

At present, the Covid tests are in the range of 45,000 to 49,000 per day.
Reviewing the state’s preparation for an imminent third wave, Singh directed the health department to undertake priority sentinel testing for patients at government and private hospitals, travellers at entry points, government offices, industries and labour colonies etc.
Based on this, districts should formulate strategies for micro-containment zones, he said in a statement.
Also, the CM virtually inaugurated a Children’s Covid ward as well as PSA (Pressure swing adsorption) oxygen plants in Ludhiana and Faridkot.
The Covid paediatric ward at Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, has five Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) and eight multisystem inflammatory syndromes in Children (MISC) beds.