Gujarat COVID-19 cases cross 10,000-mark; death toll 625
Ahmedabad, May 16 () The number of COVID-19 casesin Gujarat crossed the 10,000-mark on Saturday, with 1,057 newpatients being found positive for coronavirus including 709"super spreaders" in Ahmedabad, which accounted for 14 of thetotal 19 deaths, a Health official said.
The total cases now stands at 10,989 while the numberof fatalities rose to 625, the official said.
"Ten of the 19 deceased were suffering fromcomorbidities," said Principal Secretary (Health) JayantiRavi.
"Apart from 348 new cases reported on Saturday, thestate health department has added a tally of 709 'superspreaders' on Friday who were found coronavirus positive inAhmedabad during the tests conducted over the last one weekfollowing a massive screening of 33,500 such super spreaders,"Ravi said explaining the total number of new cases.
A total of 273 patients were discharged, taking thetally of thew recovered patients to 4,308, Ravi said, addingthat the rate of recovery stood at 39.20 per cent.
Apart from 14 deaths in Ahmedabad, two patients diedin Surat while one each died in Bhavnagar, Gandhinagar andBanaskantha.
"Super-spreaders" are potential carriers of the viralinfection who could infect a large number of people coming intheir contact.
They could be vegetable vendors, grocery and milk shopowners, petrol pump attendants or garbage collectors, who bythe nature of their job carry the risk of contracting andspreading the viral infection.
Ahmedabad has reported 264 new COVID-19 cases, takingthe total number of the affected patients in the district to8,144. Surat's case tally mounted by 34 to 1,049 and by 19 to639 in Vadodara 19, Ravi added.
The total number of active cases stood at 6,056 in thestate, 46 of whom are in critical condition, she said.
A total of 1,38,407 samples have been tested forcoronavirus infection in the state so far, including 3,961samples in the last 24 hours, she said.
Gandhinagar (163), Bhavnagar (107), Anand (82), Rajkot(79), Banaskantha (83), Panchmahal (69), Aravalli (77) havealso reported higher number of cases apart from Ahmedabad,Surat and Vadodara.
Gujarat COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positivecases 10,989, new cases 348, deaths 625, discharged patients4,308, active cases 6,056 and the number of people tested sofar 1,38,407. KANSK NSK