by: Navjeevan Express

No let up in coronavirus: 364 new cases in Gujarat, tally 9,268; 29 deaths, toll mounts to 566

NE NEWS SERVICE

GANDHINAGAR, MAY 13

The number of coronavirus cases in Gujarat rose to 9,268 with 364 new cases being detected on Wednesday, 292 in Ahmedabad district alone, a health official said.

The death toll due to the pandemic increased to 566 with 29 patients dying, Principal Secretary (Health), Jayanti Ravi said.

Among 16 districts where new cases were found, Ahmedabad reported 292, Surat 23, and Vadodara 18. The tally of coronavirus cases in Ahmedabad rose to 6,645.

In Surat and Vadodara, it rose to 967 and 592, respectively.

Again, out of 29 deaths, Ahmedabad accounted for 25. Three patients died in Surat and one in Patan.

The number of COVID-19-related deaths in Ahmedabad thus rose to 446, and that in Surat to 43.

316 patients were also discharged upon recovery on Wednesday. Ahmedabad reported the highest number of recovered patients at 238.

A total of 2,112 patients have been discharged from Ahmedabad hospitals.

39 patients are on ventilator in the state, Ravi said.

As many as 1,22,297 samples were tested in the state till Wednesday, 2,760 in the last 24 hours, she said.

Amreli district recorded its first coronavirus case on Wednesday. The pandemic, thus, has now spread to all 33 districts of Gujarat.

Ravi told reporters that drugs Ramdesivir and Interferon, which are being used for “WHO solidarity clinical trial” being conducted in Gujarat hospitals on coronavirus patients, have reached Ahmedabad.

“Patented drug Ramdesivir, and another drug Interferon, which will be used on coronavirus patients as part of the WHO clinical trial, have reached Ahmedabad. These drugs are believed to be highly effective,” she said.

Apart from Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Surat, the districts with the high number of cases in Gujarat are Gandhinagar (142), Bhavnagar (100), Banaskantha (82), Anand (80), Aravalli (76), Mehsana (67), Rajkot (66), Botad (56).

Gujarat COVID-19 figures: Positive cases: 9,268, new cases: 364, deaths: 566, discharged: 3,562, active cases: 5,140; people tested so far: 1,22,297.

Ahmedabad cases up by 292; death toll 446

The count of COVID-19 cases in hotspot Ahmedabad mounted to 6,645 on Wednesday with 292 more people testing positive for coronavirus while the number of fatalities rose to 446 with 25 deaths, a Health official said.

With 238 patients being discharged from hospitals, the number of the recovered patients in Ahmedabad district has gone up to 2,112, the official said.

Meanwhile, civic authorities on Wednesday decided to provide some relaxations in the lockdown in ten containment zones by allowing shops of essential items to remain open for five hours every day from May 15 on certain conditions.

Home delivery and opening of wholesale vegetable and fruit markets will not be allowed in the containment zones.

However, shops selling groceries, vegetables, and fruits will be allowed to remain open between 8 am and 1 pm, officials said, adding that shop owners and their staff will have to carry “health screening cards” issued by the municipal corporation with the seven-day validity.

Shops to remain open from 8 am to 1 pm in 10 containment zones

Officials said residents of these containment zones will be allowed to come out of their houses between 8 am and 1 pm only to purchase essential items, and no person will be allowed to go out to other parts of the city.

Among other conditions, shopkeepers will have to wear face masks, hand gloves, and keep sanitisers for themselves and their customers. They will also have to follow social distancing norms and to keep a separate tray to exchange money to avoid direct contact, the AMC said in a release.

The civic body has been issuing health cards to grocery shop owners and vegetable and milk vendors in the city after screening them for coronavirus.

Wards of Khadia, Jamalpur, Shahpur, Dariapur, Danilimda, Baherampura, Asarwa, Gomtipur, Saraspur, Maninagar have been marked as containment zones.

Complete lockdown in auto hub Sanand

The Gujarat government has ordered a complete lockdown of Sanand town following a spurt in coronavirus cases in the last few days. Sanand has been placed under a strict lockdown for five days, starting May 13 (Wednesday). Sanand, located on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, is known as the automobile hub of the state.

The decision was taken following the rising number of coronavirus cases in the town, which is 25 km from Ahmedabad. According to the order issued by the administration, no shop will be allowed to operate in the town between May 13 and May 17. Only shops selling milk and medicines will be allowed to operate.

โ€œWe are witnessing an increasing number of Covid-19 cases in areas around Sanand town like Dholka, Daskroi, Shela, etc. To check the spread of the infection from those areas to Sanand, this decision has been taken,โ€ Prant Officer JJ Patel said.