NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, JUNE 25
Gujarat recorded 577 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 29,578 on Thursday, while 18 more patients succumbed to the infection, a dozen of them in Ahmedabad, the state health department said.
The number of positive cases in the state rose to 29,578 with the addition of these 577 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, said a release from the health department.
Atmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojana – a ray of hope for all those whose livelihood has been disrupted because of the Corona pandemic pic.twitter.com/PzJa2shzqT
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) June 25, 2020
During the same period, as many as 18 COVID-19 patients succumbed to the infection, taking the death toll to 1,754, said the statement.
Also, 410 persons recovered from the disease and discharged from different hospitals in the state, taking the count of such cases to 21,506, it said.
The health department said as many as 216 patients recovered in Ahmedabad district alone, followed by 52 in Vadodara, 46 in Surat, and 36 in Gandhinagar.
India has one Covid-19 death per lakh population, global average is 6: Govthttps://t.co/Uc8Pcq90Di
via NaMo App pic.twitter.com/F2W4MunGz6— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) June 25, 2020
Patients also recovered from some other districts, including Narmada, Gandhinagar, Valsad, Anand, and Panchmahal, the release said.
Out of the total 577 new cases, 238 were reported from Ahmedabad district alone – 225 from the city and the remaining 13 from rural areas. Ahmedabad’s tally of cases has now reached 19,939.
Other districts where a significant number of cases were reported in the last 24 hours, were Surat (164), Vadodara (44), and 14 each in Rajkot and Jamnagar.
સિદ્ધિ તેને જઈ વરે, જે પરસેવે ન્હાય!
Ahmedabad District Won Two National Level #SKOCHAwards#GoldAward for comprehensive efforts to improve sex ratio of Ahmedabad and its remarkable achievements in the year 2018-19#PlatinumAward for "#MissionIndradhanush" 2019-20 pic.twitter.com/bo0n2DxXfw
— Arun Mahesh Babu (@ArunMaheshIAS) June 25, 2020
While Surat’s tally of positive cases reached 3,876, the second-highest in Gujarat, Vadodara was on the third spot with 2,029 infections.
Of the total of 18 patients who succumbed to the infection during the last 24 hours, as many as 12 died in different hospitals of Ahmedabad, three in Surat, two in Gandhinagar, and one in Surendranagar district, the department said.
Our PHCs continue to serve the #rural folks amongst the #pandemic #constraints#COVID19 #AhmedabadFightsCorona #ThursdayThoughts pic.twitter.com/HAyo2uRMVN
— Arun Mahesh Babu (@ArunMaheshIAS) June 25, 2020
The release said Gujarat has conducted 3,45,278 tests, out of 6,318 cases are still active. Among these, 66 are on ventilators while 6,252 are stable.
Out of around 2.29 lakh persons currently quarantined in the state, as many as 2.26 lakh are under home isolation, while 3,652 are kept in different facilities, it said.
Central team to visit Gujarat on Friday
A central team, led by Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal, will visit Gujarat on Friday to review the measures undertaken by the state to contain the spread of coronavirus, said officials on Thursday.
During the one-day visit, Agarwal and his team members are expected to visit containment zones in Ahmedabad city, the worst-hit due to COVID-19 in Gujarat, they said.
The team would also visit the city’s civil hospital, which has a 1,200-bed capacity to treat COVID-19 patients, said state Commissioner of Health, Jai Prakash Shivahare.
“This visit by the central team is aimed at strengthening coordination with the state in fighting coronavirus. We will apprise them about our efforts and best practices adopted by the government to contain the virus,” said Shivahare.
https://twitter.com/AmdavadAMC/status/1276062128357531648?s=20
238 new cases in Ahmedabad district, 12 deaths
The number of coronavirus cases in Ahmedabad district reached 19,839 on Thursday with 238 new cases coming to light, the Gujarat health department said.
Twelve persons died due to the pandemic since the previous evening, taking the death toll in the district to 1,390, it said in a release.
216 coronavirus patients were discharged from hospitals upon recovery, including 199 from the city, it said.
Of 1,754 COVID-19 deaths recorded in Gujarat so far, Ahmedabad district alone accounts for 1,390 fatalities.
While 1,338 of these victims were from the city, 52 deaths have been reported from the rural area of the district.
Of the new 238 COVID-19 patients found since Wednesday evening, 225 cases were recorded in Ahmedabad city.
The city also accounts for 19,080 coronavirus cases while the rural area has reported 759 cases so far.
No leave for policemen
The Gujarat Home Department has asked the state Director General of Police (DGP) and other senior officers not to grant any leave to the police personnel, saying that their presence was necessary for the effective implementation of Unlock-1.
A notification issued on Thursday by the home department said that the presence of all the available police force was necessary for the implementation of the Centre’s guidelines for the phased re-opening of coronavirus-induced lockdown or Unlock-1 that came into effect from June 1.
“For the effective implementation of Unlock-1, it is necessary that police personnel remain active in the field. Therefore, all the police officers as well as lower rung police personnel are hereby advised not to demand leave unless it is for medical or any other unavoidable reasons,” the notification said.
The department also asked all the senior officers, including the state DGP, Range Inspector Generals and all the district Superintendents of Police, not to grant any leave to their subordinate staff, except for medical reasons or any other emergencies.
Following the Central government’s guidelines, the Gujarat government had announced relaxations in lockdown starting from June 1.
Govt slashes charges of COVID-19 testing at pvt labs
In a relief to citizens, the Gujarat government on Thursday reduced the rates for COVID-19 tests conducted at private laboratories from Rs 4,000 to Rs 2,500.
The announcement has come 10 days after senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel claimed that test rates at private laboratories in Gujarat were higher than in many states.
Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said government-authorised private laboratories will now charge Rs 2,500 instead of the present cost of Rs 4,000 for COVID-19 tests.
ખાનગી હોસ્પિટલોમાં કોરોના સારવાર ગરીબ અને જરૂરીયાતમંદ દર્દીઓની પહોંચ બહાર નથી. એ.એમ.સી.એ 50થી વધુ ખાનગી હોસ્પિટલોમાં 2000 પથારીઓની વ્યવસ્થા કરી છે. સારવાર લઈ રહેલા દર્દીઓ એ.એમ.સી માટે આભારી છે.શ્રી દિનેશ વધુ કહેશે @PMOIndia @CMOGuj @ibijalpatel @drrajivguptaias @Mukeshias @aajtak pic.twitter.com/3A2xK6hXz3
— Amdavad Municipal Corporation (@AmdavadAMC) June 25, 2020
“If a person visits the lab with a doctor’s prescription, then he or she will have to pay Rs 2,500. The charges will be Rs 3,000 if a laboratory assistant is called home to collect samples,” Patel said, adding that the new fee structure will come into effect immediately.
Moreover, private laboratories will lose their licenses if they charge more than the stipulated fee, he said.
Although COVID-19 testing in government-run facilities was free, around 500 persons choose to go to private labs every day, said Patel, who also holds the health portfolio.
Meanwhile, reacting to the announcement, the leader of opposition Paresh Dhanani said people should not be charged more than Rs 1,000 for coronavirus test.
Earlier in a tweet on June 15, Rajya Sabha MP Ahmed Patel had asked why Ahmedabad-based private laboratories were charging Rs 4,500 for a COVID-19 test when the rate for the same was Rs 2,200 in Mumbai.
