NE NEWS SERVICE
GANDHINAGAR, APRIL 19
Gujarat on Sunday reported ten more deaths due to COVID-19 disease, taking the toll to 63, while the number of positive cases gone up to 1,743 and the strength of recovered people touched 105, a senior Health official said.
“Ten patients died in the last 24 hours till Sunday evening,” said Principal Secretary (Health) Jayanti Ravi.
https://twitter.com/svphospital/status/1251743432512548865?s=20
Of the ten deaths, seven were reported from Ahmedabad alone, she said, adding that Surat, Bharuch, and Anand each reported one death.
Most of the deceased suffered from comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes and kidney failure among others.
Stories of #CoronaWarriors #5
Yesterday, I had a 15 minute virtual meeting with JITO office bearers
Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO) #Ahmedabad Chapter will be donating FIFTEEN THOUSAND PPE KITS to @AmdavadAMC 👏👏#AmdavadCares#AmdavadFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/Wp0yBzaxJZ
— Vijay Nehra (@vnehra) April 19, 2020
Of the 63 deaths so far, Ahmedabad tops the chart with 32, followed by Surat (8), Vadodara (7), Bhavnagar (4). Gandhinagar, Anand, and Panchmahals each have reported two deaths so far while Bharuch, Patan, Kutch, Botad, Jamnagar, and Aravalli reported one death each.
Ahmedabad emerges as the worst-hit district
Ahmedabad has emerged as the worst-hit district in Gujarat in terms of coronavirus infection with as many as 239 positive cases found on Sunday alone, taking the district tally to 1,101, officials said.
The death toll also went up to 32 on Sunday with seven more persons succumbing to the infection, officials said.
Of the total, as many as 1,077 cases were detected in Ahmedabad city alone, making it one of the COVID-19 hotspot cities in the country.
The officials, however, attributed this sharp rise in positive cases to the “proactive intensive surveillance and aggressive testing” conducted by health teams, mainly in the hotspot areas.
Out of the total 1,743 cases in Gujarat, Ahmedabad alone accounts for 1,101 cases, the highest in the state, followed by Surat and Vadodara at 242 and 180 cases, the health department said Sunday.
Last Sunday the district had reported 282 positive cases, which went up to 1,101 cases within a week.
“Proactive intensive surveillance and aggressive testing approach have led to a rise in the number of coronavirus positive cases in Ahmedabad city limit area,” Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Vijay Nehra said on Sunday.
He said that while the number of COVID-19 cases in the city has surged over the past few days due to active surveillance, most of the cases are being reported form hotspot areas.
The city also reported death of seven more COVID-19 patients on Sunday, taking the death toll in the city to 32, the officials said.
Around 14,000 samples have been tested so far in the Ahmedabad city, which has a total population of around 80 lakh. The majority of the samples are being collected and the cases being detected being are from hotspot areas, he said.
“We have adopted a strategy of proactive intensive surveillance and aggressive testing, which will help us in controlling the infection in the coming days, and there is no need to worry about the rising number of cases in the city, Nehra said.
“Our health teams are conducting health check-ups in cluster areas, screening people, and sending samples of suspected cases for testing. This helps us detect asymptomatic cases through active surveillance, and reduce chances of spread of infection,” he added.
Ahmedabad has so far tested 14,000 samples, with the city recording an average of 2,490 tests per million, two-and-a-half times more than Delhi, which has conducted 1,103 tests per million, officials said.
“Risk factor, surveillance strategy, and testing approach decide the number of cases. We are proactive and aggressive regarding surveillance and testing,” Nehra said. Around 70 percent of the positive cases reported in Ahmedabad city is due to the “active surveillance” strategy adopted by the AMC, he said, adding that other cities and states will have to follow to contain the virus.
Second round of RATION KIT distribution today to Workforce of Ship Recycling Yard, Alang, Gujarat.
Rations Kits are donated by principal stake holders of ship recycling business (SRIA, Cash Buyers, AADA) at Alang.
10,000 Ration kits under distribution.#GujaratFightsCovid19 pic.twitter.com/p9EH0GG5T0
— Mukesh Kumar (@Mukeshias) April 19, 2020
Health officials informed that plasma transfusion can be used to boost the immunity of the critical Coronavirus patients by generating antibodies in the bodies. On Saturday, the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) gave its nod to the two hospitals to run plasma therapy trials.
आइए, #COVID19 के मरीजों के इलाज के लिए बनाए गए अहमदाबाद सिविल अस्पताल, गुजरात द्वारा किए गए प्रयास को इस वीडियो में देखें:https://t.co/gy2ULWbHQH#CoronaOutbreak #Lockdown2 #HealthForAll
— Gujarat Information (@InfoGujarat) April 19, 2020
Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Vijay Nehra thanked Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani for the intervention that helped SVP hospital get the required approval from the ICMR. He also informed that the donor had been identified and that the plasma donation process had been completed after the consent of the donor was obtained.
મુખ્યમંત્રી @vijayrupanibjp વિડીયો કોન્ફરન્સ ઉપસ્થિતિમાં રાજકોટ કલેકટર કચેરી ખાતે કલેકટર શ્રી રેમ્યા મોહનને પ્રતીકરૂપે ધમણ – 1 વેન્ટિલેટર જ્યોતિ સીએનસીના સીઈઓશ્રી પરાક્રમસિંહે અર્પણ કર્યું હતું. જે રાજકોટની કોવીડ હોસ્પિટલને સુપ્રત કરવામાં આવશે.@CollectorRjt @InfoGujarat pic.twitter.com/K7bdc2F3QQ
— Info Rajkot GoG (@RajkotInfo) April 18, 2020
Reportedly, 6 such donors had been identified and 3 of them had completed the mandatory 14-day period, following recovery from the Coronavirus. According to Jayanti Ravi, one blood plasma donation can be used in the treatment of 4 Coronavirus infected patients. This technique is a viable option for the treatment of critical patients in the absence of drugs and vaccines.
Meanwhile, all journalists from Rajkot have been declared as negative. They were reporting from Jungleshwar in city and were in contact of a corona positive patient, sources said.
Financial aid of Rs. 25 lakhs for data entry operators, weigh men at 17K fair price shops in case of demise on duty: CM
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has taken an important decision for the people managing food grain distribution at 17,000 fair price shops approved by the government.
Providing details of the decision taken by the CM, Secretary to the CM Ashwani Kumar said, “The Chief Minister has announced financial assistance of Rs. 25 lakhs for data entry operators and weighing men in case of demise on duty due to COVID-19. The said people are currently working at 17,000 fair price shops for ensuring a smooth flow of free food grain distribution.”
The process of assisting Rs. 1,000 in the bank accounts of the 66 lakh NFSA cardholders shall be initiated from 6 tribal districts – Panchmahal, Chhota Udepur, Dahod, Aravalli, Sabarkantha, and Mahisagar.
The state government shall also commence the purchase of tobacco from farmers at APMCs very soon. Talking about the commencement of businesses and industries from Monady, April 20, the Secretary said, “ The Chief Minister has made it clear that all the factories and industrial units falling outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities shall be allowed to operate. The units have been allowed to employ the workers for a 12-hour shift with additional remuneration for the extended hours. The workers shall receive a 30-minute break every 6 hours. Women shall not work from 7 pm to 6 am.
The state government has also announced a compounding fee for the vehicles detained due to violating the norms of the lockdown. A compound fee of Rs. 500 shall be charged for two-wheelers and Rs.1,000 for four-wheelers.
The Secretary also said that the GSRTC bus service between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar for Sachivalay employees is currently postponed.
Talking about the commencement of APMCs from April 15, Kumar said, “69,837 quintals of produce has been distributed in 3 days. This includes 48,874 quintals of wheat and 15961 quintals of castor seeds.”
46.81 lakh liters of milk was distributed in the state. 86,577 quintals of vegetables and 5159 quintals of fruits are available in the market.
CM conducts video-conference with Vadodara MP, MLAs
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had conducted a video-conference with spokespersons of Vadodara city, including district MLAs and MP.
Rupani has set an example to motivate people to work with technologies like video conference, audio conference, video calling, etc. at such time.
Rupani appreciated the government’s initiative to sanitize the areas – Colony-Societies as well as the free distribution of food to the BPL, APL-1, and others.
Chief Minister also urged them to care about the healthcare of their own and their families as well as suggesting the spread of Aarogya Setu app to reach more and more people and promote social distancing.
The video0conference was attended by the Speaker Rajendra Trivedi, State Minister Yogeshbhai Patel, MP Ranjanben Bhatt and MLAs Jitubhai Sukhadiya, Ketanbhai Inamdar, Shaileshbhai, Madhubhai Shrivastav, Manishaben Vakil and Simaben Mohil.
