Even as the COVID-19 deaths in Gujarat crossed 400 on Thursday, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has augmented the capacity of beds by 800 by designating eight private hospitals as COVID-19 hospitals under the Epidemic Act.
In the last 24 hours that ended at 5 pm on Thursday, the state witnessed 29 deaths, with 23 of these from Ahmedabad. The death toll in the state is now 425.
The period also saw 388 new cases, taking the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in the state to 7,013.
Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Jayanti Ravi said that the period saw 209 patients being discharged after recovery, taking the total number of discharged patients to 1,709.
She maintained that as compared to the last fortnight, the recovery rate has improved from about 7 per cent to 24 per cent.
Beds increased: In a bid to aggregate the capacity of the beds, the AMC has designated eight private hospitals of Ahmedabad as COVID-19 hospitals. With this, there are now 15 private hospitals where the COVID-19 patients can be treated and the strength of beds in the private hospitals is 1,600.
Additional Chief Secretary, Forests and Environment, Rajiv Gupta, who is in-charge of Ahmedabad, said that notices are being issued to 60 hotels in the city to be designated as COVID care centres. He said that the hotels would not charge from the patients and the AMC will bear the cost.
Tackling the super spreaders: After Ahmedabad, Vadodara has now started zeroing in on the super spreaders. The authorities said that vegetable vendors will have to get a health screening done at municipal centres. If they do not get the certificates renewed every third day then their licences will be cancelled, the authorities added.
Movement restriction: Rajkot collectorate has banned the entry of people from Ahmedabad. People from Rajkot will also not be allowed to go to Ahmedabad, said Rajkot Collector Ramya Mohan. Exception to the order will be for ambulances and medical emergencies.
Politics over migrant labour: Surat Police on Thursday detained and later released a few Congress leaders who had gone to see off the migrant labours who were going to their native states from the Surat Railway Station. Congress leaders claimed that they had permission from the collector. They questioned as to why BJP MP C.R. Patil was not stopped when he went to the Railway Station two days ago. Patil had waved BJP flag while flagging off the train.
Congress has continued to allege that the state government is taking money from the migrant labourers who want go to their natives. Videos of migrant labour force giving Rs 600 to government officials near Town Hall in Ahmedabad has gone viral.