NE NEWS SERVICE
GANDHINAGAR, MAY 9
The number of coronavirus cases in Gujarat climbed to 7,797 in Gujarat on Saturday with 394 new cases coming to light, while the death toll rose to 472 with 23 more deaths, a senior health official said.
AIIMS Delhi Director Dr. Randeep Guleria and Dr. Manish Suneja arrived this morning at Ahmedabad and discussed the COVID-19 situation prevailing in the city with senior officials and interacted with doctors at Covid Hospital in Asarwa Civil Campus.#GujaratFightsCovid19 pic.twitter.com/cTWku3HnZk
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) May 9, 2020
The number of patients who died in 24 hours since Friday evening — 23 — was the lowest in the last seven days, Principal Secretary (Health) Jayanti Ravi said.
219 coronavirus patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the tally of those who recovered and were discharged in the state to 2,091, she said.
Gujarat COVID-19 figures are, thus, as follows: Positive cases 7,797, new cases 394, deaths 472, discharged 2,091, active cases 5,234 and people tested so far 1,09,650.
Ahmedabd cases up by 280; death toll 363
A total of 280 new COVID-19 cases were reported from hotspot Ahmedabad besides 20 more deaths on Saturday, taking the total case count to 5,540 in the district and fatalities to 363, a Health department official said.
સાળંગપુર કોવીડ 19 ખાતે દર્દીઓને જમવા, આરોગ્ય વિગેરે વિષયક ઉત્તમ સુવિધાઓ પૂરી પાડવામાં આવી રહી છે… આ માટે બોટાદ જિલ્લા તંત્ર કટિબદ્ધ છે… 🙏🙏 @InfoGujarat @pkumarias @vijayrupanibjp @JayantiRavi @Dwivedi_D @saurabhpatelguj @CMOGuj pic.twitter.com/YIGjMTgOJA
— Collector & DM Botad (@Collectorbotad) May 9, 2020
Principal Secretary (Health) Jayanti Ravi said that the number of the discharged patients from various hospitals in Ahmedabad after recovery mounted by 106 to 1,107 in the last 24 hours.
A team of expert doctors from Delhi, led by AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria, visited various hospitals in the city on Saturday and guided local medical teams on how to bring down the high COVID-19 death rate, Ravi said.
#GujaratFightsCovid19 આ છે કચ્છ જિલ્લાના પધ્ધર ગામના ખેડૂત ખાતેદાર શ્રી ઘેલા ખૂંબલા. લોક ડાઉન ના સમયમાં જીવન નિર્વાહ મૂશ્કેલ હતો ત્યારે સરકારે એમના ખાતામાં રૂપિયા 2000 જમા કર્યા. ઘેલાભાઈ સરકારનો આભાર માનતા થાકતા નથી.@PIB_India pic.twitter.com/0oBsY3mCu4
— PIB in Gujarat 🇮🇳 (@PIBAhmedabad) May 9, 2020
“They found that the protocols being followed at the civil hospital and other hospitals in Ahmedabad were up to the mark,” she said, adding that the team was satisfied with the state Health department’s work.
As a measure to bring down the death rate, the doctors have appealed to symptomatic patients, and especially those with underlying health conditions, to avail medical treatment without delay, Ravi said.
Ahmedabad’s COVID-19 mortality rate stands at 6.5 percent, which is almost double than the national average of 3.3 percent.
Dr Guleria, accompanied by Dr Manish Soneja of AIIMS’ department of medicine, visited the civil hospital and met doctors and staff, who were attending to COVID-19 patients and offered them guidance, a Health department release said.
Gandhinagar, Kalol to observe total lockdown
Meanwhile, Gujarat Capital Gandhinagar and Kalol towns will observe complete lockdown from Saturday midnight to May 17. Only milk and medical shops will be allowed to function during this period.
Govt announces cash award to Corona Warriors working in dedicated hospitals
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Saturday decided to give special awards and recognition to Corona Warriors, which includes doctors, paramedical staff, health workers, sanitation workers, and other related employees, working in dedicated COVID-19 hospitals.
Principal Secretary of Health Department Dr. Jayanti Ravi said, “All those workers who are directly engaged in treating COVID-19 affected patients such as paramedical staff, health workers, doctors, sanitation workers, lab technicians, etc for more than 30 days will be provided special recognition by the Chief Minister. A sum of Rs 25,000 will be given to class-1 and class-2 workers. A sum of Rs 15,000 will be provided to nursing staff, lab assistants, and class-3 employees. A sum of Rs 10,000 will be provided to class-4 employees and Rs 5,000 to outsourcing staff and employees on a fixed pay.”
AIIMS team visits city hospitals, pats Govt
A two-member team of AIIMS-Delhi led by its director Dr Randeep Guleria on Saturday visited Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to inspect the healthcare facilities and later praised Gujarat government’s efforts in containing coronavirus spread, a government release said.
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director and Dr Manish Soneja from its Department of Medicine visited the Ahmedabad hospital to inspect infrastructure following Chief Minister Vijay Rupani’s request, after the Union government had declared Ahmedabad a coronavirus hotspot.
Later, the team met Rupani in Gandhinagar and lauded the state’s preparations and efforts in its fight against Covid-19, according to the state government.
Additional Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar specially appointed officer for Covid -19 across the state had extensive discussions with these two senior doctors.
The two AIIMS faculty was accompanied by Health and Family Welfare Department Principal Secretary Dr Jayanti Ravi and Hospital OSD Dr. Prabhakar at the Civil Hospital, where they interacted with medical staff and offered guidance.
“The AIIMS team was impressed by the 1,200 bed facility set up in such a short duration and appreciated it. They also appreciated the infrastructure and said that it was the pride of the country,” the release added.
March-April power bills can be paid by May 30
Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani has extended the deadline for payment of electricity bills for March-April till May 30, 2020, to the electricity customers of all the electricity distribution companies in the state.
In the larger interest of power consumers of Gujarat, CM Shri @vijayrupanibjp announces major relief in electricity bill payment for the consumers of all the power distribution companies of the state in view of the COVID-19 lockdown. pic.twitter.com/aOjCSBjc9i
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) May 9, 2020
The Chief Minister has also decided to provide financial relief to the small and middle-class traders, shopkeepers, and industries of the state by exempting all such LT customers of the state from levying fixed charge demand charge on their April electricity bills.
CM Shri @vijayrupanibjp announces relaxation in bill payment for Gujarat Gas consumer industries that would give some respite to various industries across the state reeling under financial stress due to the current lockdown circumstances owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. pic.twitter.com/prgxzYGQ8e
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) May 9, 2020
Earlier, the state government had decided to exempt only such closed LT power users from fixed charges because of lockdown. The Chief Minister has now announced to exempt all LT electricity consumers from such fixed charges to provide more financial relief to small and medium traders, shopkeepers and industrialists.
The Chief Minister has also decided not to charge fixed charge to HT customers in the state whose power consumption during lockdown which was less than 50 % of the average consumption of the previous 3 months. This exemption will not apply to bank telecom companies, petrochemical complex refineries, and dairy as well as hospitals.
Private hospitals are largely closed during the lockdown, However, hospitals whose power consumption is 50% less than the average of the previous 3 months of lockdown are exempted from fixed charge demand charge.
