Punjab has enough beds, doctors to fight COVID-19: Amarinder

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday (May 22) said the state had enough bed, doctors and ventilators to fight even a second or third round of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an interview to NDTV, Singh said there was no shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits in Punjab. He said the state had more than four lakh N95 masks and over 6 lakh normal face masks.

Singh said there are more than 450 ventilators in the state, which is equipped with healthcare staff. He added that there were 52 government hospitals in the state, besides 900 private hospitals to attend to the needs of patients.

All those who return to Punjab through air, rail or road travel will compulsorily be placed in quarantine, said Singh. If they show any symptoms, they will be sent to state-run quarantine centres, while returnees who are asymptomatic will be advised to be in home quarantine, he added.

Singh said the state had around 13 lakh labourers, of which three lakh had returned to their hometowns. As of May 21, migrant labourers have been sent in 273 trains to other states, he added. Singh said that of 2.5 lakh industries in the state, 1.5 lakh were currently open.

Punjab has so far reported 2,028 cases of COVID-19, out of which 1,819 have recovered. The state has the highest recovery rate in the country at 90 per cent, more than double the national average of 41 per cent. As many as 39 people have died of COVID-19 in the state.