Gujarat at new high with 1,144-case spike

Gujarat on Wednesday reported its highest every tally of 1,144 new Covid-19 cases in a 24-hour span, as reporting in smaller districts continued to rise across the State. Surat reported the highest number of 291cases followed by Ahmedabad with 152 cases.

Vadodara reported 95, Rajkot 80 and Gandhinagar 50 cases.

Bhavnagar had 35 cases, Junagadh 31 and Jamnagar 19 new Covid-19 cases. Apart from major districts, Mehsana reported 36, Bharuch and Dahod 33 each, Surendranagar 31, Morbi 28, Amreli 24, Valsad 19, Narmada 18, Patan 18, Navsari 17, Porbandar and Sabarkantha 14 each, Kutch 13 and Mahisagar 12 cases. There were 10 cases each in Anand, Banaskantha, Kheda, Tapi and the Panchmahals.

Other districts reported cases in single digits. The state tally reached 59,126 on Wednesday, according to the state health department. Fatalities rose to 2,396 with the death of 24 more Covid-19 patients, it said. Of these, 11 Covid-19 patients lost their lives in Surat district, 8 of which were in the Surat city. Five deaths were reported from Ahmedabad city and two each in Patan, rural Rajkot and Vadodara city. One death each was reported from Mehsana and rural Vadodara.

Of the 13,535 active Covid-19 cases in hospitals across the state, the state health department reported 89 to be on ventilator support while 13,446 were in stable medical condition. The state reported that 783 patients had been discharged from hospitals on Wednesday. This took the discharge tally to 43,195 till date.

Gujarat Covid-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 59,126, new cases 1,144, deaths 2,396, discharged 43,195, active cases 13,535, people tested so far 7,13,006.

Guj ramps up testing Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Wednesday said authorities have been asked to conduct a minimum of 20,000 tests per day to detect cases of coronavirus infection. Speaking to reporters in Vadodara, the CM also urged people to cooperate and refrain from celebrating upcoming festivals to prevent the risk of viral spread. “We have decided to ramp up testing in the state. In the initial days, we used to conduct around 4,000 tests per day to identify infected persons. On Tuesday, the number went up to 22,000 tests a day,” Rupani said.

Health authorities have been instructed to conduct a minimum of 20,000 tests every day to contain the spread of the virus, he said, adding that the government will provide testing kits and other infrastructure for the same.

Rupani also said people of all faiths must show some restraint while celebrating upcoming festivals.