NE NEWS SERVICE
GANDHINAGAR, APRIL 12
The number of coronavirus cases in Gujarat has gone up to 493 with 25 more people testing positive for the disease, an official said on Sunday.
Out of the 25 new cases, 23 are from Ahmedabad and two from Anand, principal secretary (health) Jayanti Ravi said.
વિશ્વભરમાં વસતા ગુજરાતીઓને સંબોધન.#IndiaFightsCorona#GujaratFightsCovid19 https://t.co/Xb3QB0kN6K
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) April 11, 2020
The condition of 422 out of 426 active patients is stable, while four are on a ventilator, she said.
So far, 23 people have died while 44 patients have been discharged after recovery, she added.
In Gujarat, a total of 19 districts have been affected by the novel coronavirus positive cases.
In the last 12 hours, Vadodara saw 18 new cases, Ahmedabad 16, and one each in Bharuch and Chotta Udepur.
Among the three patients who died on Saturday included a male (65) with comorbid condition like diabetes, admitted in the Civil hospital, Ahmedabad. Another male (70) also died at the Civil Hospital. A male patient (65) admitted in Ahmedabad’s SVP Hospital too succumbed to the virus. Ten patients were discharged on Saturday after treatment, taking the total to 44 in Gujarat. Ahmedabad has maximum 266 cases, Vadodara 95, Surat 28, Bhavnagar 23, Rajkot 18, Gandhinagar 15, Patan 14, Bharuch 8, Anand 5, Kutch 4, Porbandar and Chotta Udepur with 3 each, Mehsana and Gir-Somnath two each, and Panchmahal, Jamnagar, Morbi, Sabarkantha and Dahod one each.
In the interest of over 60-lakh APL-1 card holder middle class families, Gujarat Govt to start distribution of free one-month ration from 17,000 fare price shops across the state from tomorrow, 13th April, 2020. pic.twitter.com/Y9qYp4SXLm
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) April 12, 2020
“We have found one boy (6) positive in Gandhinagar’s Rancharda village, now admitted to the BJ Medical College quarantine facility. Just like the Jamnagar infant case, his source of infection is yet to be found,” said Jayanti Ravi, Health Secretary. “Like Friday, we have taken another important decision. Apart from the clusters of hotspots in the city areas, we will be taking samples from other areas of the cities too,” added Ravi.
This was because some positive cases on Saturday were found outside the hotspots in Ahmedabad. Two positive cases were detected from Navrangpura and Sarangpur. “Out of a total of 402 active cases, the condition of 398 is stable. The condition of 4 is critical and are on ventilators,” added Ravi.
“In the last 24 hours, we have drawn 2,045 samples, of which 90 tested positive, 1,548 negative and 407 are pending,” added Ravi. The Health Department has till now carried out 9,763, out of which 468 are positive, 8,888 negative and 407 are pending.
“As many as 12,042 persons are in quarantine, including 10,735 at home, 1,135 in government facilities and 172 in private facilities,” added Ravi.
New hostel building of Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project training institute in Vadodara,will be used as quarantine back up. For this, 77 furnished rooms of hostel building have been handed over to the health department of Vadodara Municipal corporation.#IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/9pClH62jkl
— Gujarat Information (@InfoGujarat) April 12, 2020
Ahmedabad civic body ropes in 5 recovered persons as volunteers
In a unique initiative, the Ahmedabad civic body has roped in five persons who have recovered from the coronavirus infection to work as volunteers at a care centre set up for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients who do not suffer from any underlying complications.
The initiative has been taken as the patients who have recovered are likely to have developed immunity to the disease and chances of them contracting the infection again are several times less than others, Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Vijay Nehra said on Saturday.
https://twitter.com/DahodMahiti/status/1249230216200888323?s=20
Amid the rising number of cases in Ahmedabad, the city civic body has started the COVID Care Centre, a separate facility for asymptomatic coronavirus patients in the age group of 18 to 60 years who do not suffer from any other health conditions, with the aim to leave hospital beds for critical patients who require medical care, he said.
“The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation approached five persons who recovered from coronavirus disease and received their consent to work as volunteers at this care centre set up for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients who do not suffer from any underlying complications,” Nehra said.
#fightingagainstcorona#nccgujarat
Distribution of hand sanitisers by 28 Guj Bn NCC Nadid to cadets. pic.twitter.com/CiBHxggIVv— NCC_Dte_Gujarat (@NCC_Dte_Gujarat) April 10, 2020
There are around 30 coronavirus patients, out of total 243 reported so far in Ahmedabad, who can be shifted out of hospitals to the separate care centre, he said.
“It is well established that people who recover from the virus develop immunity towards it. So, they will have antibodies and their chances of getting infected again are far less than other people. Five of the seven patients discharged from SVP Hospital have agreed to volunteer,” he informed.
They will be given personal protective equipment (PPE) to work at the centre, Nehra said.
The COVID Care Centre, planned two months ago and set up as per guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the central government, will have a dedicated team of doctors, other medical staff and ambulances.
“Now that the numbers have increased, we have decided to shift asymptomatic patients at the care centre,” he said.
The city civic body has also operationalised a COVID Medical Centre for coronavirus patients who require oxygen support.
Pharma industry produced 20 cr HCQ tablets: Zydus Cadila
CEO of Indian Pharmaceutical giant Zydus Cadila, Pankaj Patel informed that industry has produced 20 crore Hydroxychloroquine tablets which is in high demand worldwide amid COVID-19 outbreak. “Pharmaceutical industry has significantly increased the production of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). 20 crore tablets of HCQ have been produced by the industry this month,” said Pankaj Patel, CEO of Zydus Cadila, in Ahmedabad. “We have sufficient stock available, not only for domestic market, but we would be able to supply to the world if need arises. My company will produce 30 tonnes of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) equivalent to 15 crore tablets next month,” he further added. Hydroxychloroquine is an anti-malarial drug deemed to be useful in dealing with COVID-19.
CM orders to set up centralised food distribution system
મુખ્યમંત્રીશ્રી વિજયભાઈ રૂપાણીએ રાજ્યના મહાનગરોમાં વધી રહેલા કોરોના વાયરસ સંક્રમણને પગલે આઠ મહાનગરોના મેયરશ્રીઓ, મ્યુનિસિપલ કમિશ્નરો અને સ્ટેન્ડીંગ કમિટી અધ્યક્ષો સાથે વિડીયો કોન્ફરન્સ યોજીને સ્થિતીની જાણકારી મેળવી માર્ગદર્શન આપ્યું હતું. pic.twitter.com/KgP9ev0ZkW
— Gujarat Information (@InfoGujarat) April 11, 2020
In a video conference with mayors, municipal commissioners and chairmen of the state standing committee, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani asked municipalities to set up centralised food distribution systems for labourers, the helpless and the aged living alone, as per a release from the state government. Voluntary agencies and NGOs have been taking care of the same so far, it added.
The CM instructed for complete scanning and surveillance of people in COVID-19 hotpots in megacities of Gujarat. He advised for home deliveries of essential items in such areas to prevent the crowding of people. Rupani also asked officers and members to encourage people to download the ‘Aarogya Setu’ application developed by the Centre.
It was further instructed for mobile clinics to visit all possible areas in their cities and provide necessary medical treatment to those who need it. The CM asked concerned officials officers to take stringent actions against those who attack health workers.
The Gujarat government has not proposed to extend the lockdown by two weeks, said Ashwini Kumar, Secretary to Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, when asked about the interaction of all chief ministers with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.
