NE NEWS SERVICE
GANDHINAGAR, MARCH 19
For the first time, the deadly Coronavirus pandemic made it to Gujarat as the State Health Department reported its first two cases on Thursday evening. While one infected patient is a resident of Rajkot, the other patient belongs to Surat.
This has taken the total number of cases in all over India to 197, with Maharashtra reporting the highest cases at 50. Gujarat Government has been taking extensive measures to contain the spread of the virus, by shutting down schools and temples even before the first case was reported. On Thursday, however, two cases were reported from the state.
“Two suspected coronavirus cases of Rajkot and Surat are positive. Our teams have already taken necessary steps, including quarantine of all the contacts,” the state health and family welfare department said in a tweet.
Samples of a young woman from Surat and a man from Rajkot came positive for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) after their samples were sent to the NIV, Pune for confirmation, the officials said.
On Wednesday, the health department had said these samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) after local labs’ report came inconclusive.
“There are two suspected cases for which result in our labs is inconclusive so the sample has been sent to NIV, Pune. As part of precaution, we are following all protocols for suspected cases such as contact listing and Quarantine of contacts,” the department had tweeted.
After the results came positive, authorities in both the cities swung into action and are taking necessary steps.
“There were two suspected cases which we had sent to NIV for confirmation. One is a young woman from Surat who had returned from New York and another patient is a man from Rajkot, who had returned from Mecca.
“Both of them are positive for the coronavirus. They are under treatment and breathing without the help of ventilators,” said principal secretary (health) Jayanti Ravi.
She said district, as well as police officials of Rajkot and Surat, have been asked to trace all the people who came into contact with the two patients.
In Rajkot, 17 persons who came into contact with the infected person have been put in a quarantine facility, said district health officer P P Rathod, adding a screening of the area where the person lives are going on.
In Surat, authorities have stopped the entry of state transport buses of Maharashtra into the district and also halted bus services to the neighbouring state from Surat in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus. The GSRTC has suspended all bus routes to Maharashtra, to screen passengers in private buses coming from other states at 16 check posts.
Covid19 suspects in-home quarantine to wear wrist bands
The Gujarat government said on Thursday that those undergoing 14-day home quarantine for suspected coronavirus infection will have to wear a coloured wrist band.
The announcement was made by Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel in the Assembly here.
Patel, who handles the Health portfolio, said this was necessary to stop such persons from violating home isolation norms and going out which can be harmful to others.
“In some states, such persons are stamped on their hands,” he said, referring to the practice in Maharashtra.
“On the same lines, we have decided to put coloured bands on the wrists of suspected patients who are under 14-day home quarantine upon return from abroad,” Patel told the Assembly during a discussion on the coronavirus.
“People can report to the authorities if they spot anybody with this band on the wrist in public,” he added.
State firm granted test license to manufacture diagnostic kits
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) on Tuesday granted a Gujarat-based molecular diagnostic company, CoSara Diagnostics Private Limited, the test license to manufacture novel coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnostic test kits.
The company, which is a joint venture between a group company of India’s Ambalal Sarabhai Enterprises Limited (ASE) and USA’s Co-Diagnostics Inc, was set up last year. It has a manufacturing plant in Ranoli in Vadodara.
CEO and Director of CoSara Diagnostics Pvt. Ltd, Mohal Sarabhai explained, “Initially, the government gives a test licence following which we manufacture diagnostic test kits. These kits are then checked by the government, on how it is working and other aspects. If deemed satisfactory, the government grants the manufacturing license. We have already ordered our material. All these are primers and they come from the US. We are looking to manufacture these test kits in a week to be sent to the government. Overall, we are looking at a two-week window (for approval from the government and the final manufacturing license).” Mohal is the grandson of late Vikram Sarabhai, the father of India’s space programme.
Govt orders closure of 5 major temples; churches, mosques join hands
To stop the spread of the novel coronavirus in Gujarat, the state government on Thursday decided to close temples at Ambaji, Dwarka, Somnath, Dakor and Pavagadh for devotees from March 20.
The fivre world-famous temples receive thousands of devotees every day. In an official release here, the government said though ‘aarti’ will be performed at these temples as per schedule, devotees will not be allowed inside their premises from March 20.
The step has been taken to avoid crowding and enforce social distancing as part of measures to contain the spread of the viral infection.
In a bid to check the spread of coronavirus, churches in Gujarat have been told to call off public events, while Friday prayers at mosques will be shortened and temples will ban visitors from Friday.
The Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gandhinagar issued an advisory to various churches in Gujarat to call off public events, including the Sunday liturgical celebration and the Lenten observance.
The Jumma Namaz on Friday will be cut short and will be held in the presence of doctors, along with medical teams in all places of worship and believers being subjected to a short thermal scanning before entering the premises.
Examinations postponed
GUJCET exam to be held on March 30 and all competitive tests for govt jobs in different cadres up to March 31 postponed.
