45 new COVID-19 cases in Guj; state tally rises to 617

The number of coronavirus cases in Gujarat rose to 617 after 45 more people tested positive for the disease, a health official said on Tuesday.

Out of these 45 new cases, 31 have been reported from Ahmedabad, nine from Surat, two from Mehsana, and one each from Bhavnagar, Dahod and Gandhinagar.

A 20-year-old patient was also discharged from a hospital in Ahmemdabad, taking the total number of those who recovered from the disease to 55.

The state has so far reported 26 deaths.

Ahmedabad has so far reported 351 COVID-19 cases and 13 deaths, while Vadodara has reported 107 cases.

All the new patients found in Ahmedabad and Surat are from hotspot areas, principal secretary (health) Jayanti Ravi said.

"The patient from Bhavnagar was in quarantine. The two new patients from Mehsana had travelled to Mumbai following the death of their relatives, while the patient from Dahod is a health worker who was involved in treatment of a child infected with COVID-19," he said.

So far, the state has tested 14,980 samples, of which 617 tested positive and 14,363 came out negative.

Out of 536 active cases in the state, nine are on ventilator support, the health department said.

Out of the nine critical patients, seven are in Ahmedabad and one each in Bhavnagar and Kutch, Ravi said.

District-wise, Amedabad has reported the highest number of cases at 351, followed by Vadodara-107, Surat-42, Bhavnagar-24, Rajkot-18, Gandhinagar-16, Patan-14, Bharuch-11, Anand- nine, Kutch and Mehsana- four each, Porbandar and Chhota Udepur- three each, Gir Somnath, Panchmahal, Dahod and Banaskantha- two each, and Jamnagar, Morbi and Sabarkantha- one each.

"Random testing in 14 other districts revealed two cases in Banaskantha reported yesterday. The situation is under control. But, we will have to continue to follow the lockdown rules and also increase our immunity using AYUSH guidelines," the official said.