Gujarat COVID-19 cases cross 10,000-mark; death toll 625

The number of COVID-19 cases in Gujarat crossed the 10,000-mark on Saturday, with 1,057 new patients being found positive for coronavirus including 709 "super spreaders" in Ahmedabad, which accounted for 14 of the total 19 deaths, a Health official said.

The total cases now stands at 10,989 while the number of fatalities rose to 625, the official said.

"Ten of the 19 deceased were suffering from comorbidities," said Principal Secretary (Health) Jayanti Ravi.

"Apart from 348 new cases reported on Saturday, the state health department has added a tally of 709 'super spreaders' on Friday who were found coronavirus positive in Ahmedabad during the tests conducted over the last one week following 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 the tally of thew recovered patients to 4,308, Ravi said, adding that the rate of recovery stood at 39.20 per cent.

Apart from 14 deaths in Ahmedabad, two patients died in Surat while one each died in Bhavnagar, Gandhinagar and Banaskantha.

"Super-spreaders" are potential carriers of the viral infection who could infect a large number of people coming in their contact.

They could be vegetable vendors, grocery and milk shop owners, petrol pump attendants or garbage collectors, who by the nature of their job carry the risk of contracting and spreading the viral infection.

Ahmedabad has reported 264 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of the affected patients in the district to 8,144. Surat's case tally mounted by 34 to 1,049 and by 19 to 639 in Vadodara 19, Ravi added.

The total number of active cases stood at 6,056 in the state, 46 of whom are in critical condition, she said.

A total of 1,38,407 samples have been tested for coronavirus infection in the state so far, including 3,961 samples in the last 24 hours, she said.

Gandhinagar (163), Bhavnagar (107), Anand (82), Rajkot (79), Banaskantha (83), Panchmahal (69), Aravalli (77) have also reported higher number of cases apart from Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara.

Gujarat COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 10,989, new cases 348, deaths 625, discharged patients 4,308, active cases 6,056 and the number of people tested so far 1,38,407.