DW BUREAU / Chandigarh Punjab on Friday reported nine more deaths due to COVID-19, pushing the death toll to 239 while 348 fresh cases took the tally to 9,442. Two fatalities each were reported in Ludhiana and Patiala and one each in Ferozepur, SBS Nagar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran and Amritsar, as per medical bulletin. Jalandhar, one of the worst affected districts, reported 78 new cases, followed by 62 in Ludhiana, 56 in Patiala, 34 each in Amritsar and Hoshiarpur, 14 in Mohali, 15 in Moga and 11 in Sangrur. Additionally, seven new cases were found each in Rupnagar and Faridkot, six each in Gurdaspur and Muktsar, four in Fazilka, three each in Pathankot and Kapurthala, two each in Bathinda and Mansa and one each in Ferozepur, Fatehgarh Sahib, SBS Nagar and Tarn Taran. Six policemen in Ludhiana, three in Moga, two each in Faridkot and Fazilka, one doctor each in Amritsar and Patiala and five jail inmates in Moga were among new cases, as per the bulletin. Ninety-six coronavirus patients were discharged after they recovered from the infection. A total of 6,373 people have been cured of the infection so far. There are 2,830 active cases in the state as of now, as per the bulletin. Ludhiana continued to be on top in the COVID tally with 1,695 cases, followed by 1,545 in Jalandhar, 1,194 in Amritsar, 832 in Patiala, 698 in Sangrur, 492 in Mohali, 303 in Gurdaspur, 267 in Pathankot, 255 in SBS Nagar, 246 in Hoshiarpur, 222 in Tarn Taran and 200 in Ferozepur. The cases in other districts include 192 in Fatehgarh Sahib, 190 in Faridkot, 184 in Moga, 173 in Bathinda, 168 in Muktsar, 151 in Rupnagar, 148 in Kapurthala, 142 in Fazilka, 79 in Barnala and 66 in Mansa, as per the bulletin. Seven patients are critical and are on ventilator support while 61 are on oxygen support, as per bulletin. A total of 4,38,793 samples have been taken so far for testing, as per bulletin. With a record single day surge of 34,956 cases, India's COVID-19 tally zoomed past ten lakh on Friday, just three days after it crossed the nine-lakh mark. (editor@dailyworld.in)