Guj:COVID-19 cases rise to 30, CM urges people to stay indoors

Twelve new coronavirus cases have been reported in Gujarat, taking the total number of those infected by the deadly virus in the state to 30, the state health department said on Monday.

Out of the 12 cases reported on Monday, five are those of local transmission, while other patients have history of travel to Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, France and the UK, it said.

With this, cases in Ahmedabad have gone up to 13, Vadodara-six, Surat-five and Gandhinagar-four, while there is one case each reported from Kutch and Rajkot, the health department said.

The state has so far reported one death- of a 67- year-old coronavirus positive patient in Surat on Sunday. He was suffering from ailments like kidney failure, asthma and others.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said the 'Janta curfew' on Sunday was just a token and the coronavirus- affected districts of the state will have to follow the same partial lockdown till March 31.

"Sunday's 'Janta curfew' was just a token. It is necessary that people of Gujarat follow this till March 31. People should not come out unnecessarily. We are about to enter the third stage where the virus transmits in communities with multiplying effect. China is in fifth stage, where recovery starts," Rupani said in the state Assembly here.

"Till now, we have put five major cities - Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Gandhinagar - and the entire Kutch district under lockdown. Now, we are mulling to stop people's movement in all those districts where cases of coronavirus emerge in the coming days. Essential goods will be available to people during the partial lockdown," he said.

In his message to the public posted online, Rupani said this was a "decisive stage", and appealed to public to follow the protocol related to partial lockdown in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Gandhinagar and Kutch, from where cases have been reported so far, till March 25.

Rupani said the industry bodies have also extended support to the lockdown.

"We need not fear coronavirus, but need to fight together against the pandemic," he said.

"I once again ask people to remain indoors till March 31. This is the best way to stop the spread of coronavirus. People from other states need to stay here, instead of fleeing to their native places. This will only spread the virus in other places," he said.

The chief minister said he has also asked industrialists to ensure that their labourers stay back.

"It will be difficult for the authorities to detect the virus in rural areas," he said.

Rupani said various industry associations have assured him to shut down their factories till March 31.

He also assured BJP MLAs that he will chair a meeting on Monday to take a decision on curtailing the ongoing budget session of the Assembly, scheduled to continue till March 31.

The government has banned movement of commercial vehicles on roads in the coronavirus-affected districts.

According to officials, no contract carriages, state carriages, taxis and cabs can ply intra-state till March 25 and inter-state till March 31