Surat man first coronavirus victim in Guj, positive cases 18

Coronavirus claimed its first victim in Gujarat on Sunday when a 67-year-old man, who had tested positive for the infection, died at a private hospital in Surat, officials said.

The total number of infected persons in the state went up to 18 with four new positive cases reported on Sunday alone. The total positive cases include the deceased person, they said.

The Surat man, with travel history to Delhi and Jaipur, was admitted to a private hospital here on March 17 with several complications related to kidney and asthma. He tested positive for coronavirus on March 21, officials said.

He did not have any travel history to a foreign country.

"He was admitted to a private hospital on March 17 with several health complications like kidney problem and asthma. He died around 2.50 pm on Sunday," Surat Municipal Commissioner B N Pani said.

Apart from COVID-19, the patient suffered from various other ailments, including acute respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock, multiple organ failure and acute kidney failure, Pani said.

"His family members and others whom he came in contact with have already been quarantined," the official said.

Of the total 18 cases, two each were reported from Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar on Sunday.

"This took the tally in Ahmedabad to seven, three each in Surat, Gandhinagar and Vadodara, and one each in Rajkot and Kutch. All these six districts will be placed under lockdown from Monday to March 25, under which only essential services will continue," Principal Secretary (Health) Jayanti Ravi said.

Of the new cases reported on Sunday, only one, that of an 80-year-old woman from Gandhinagar, was caused by local transmission, while others have history of visits abroad, officials said.

Ravi told reporters that as many as 6,255 persons have been quarantined in the state, of whom 6,092 are home quarantined, while 433 have been kept in various government hospitals.

She also said that 10 FIRs have been registered so far against persons and action has been taken against them for trying to evade compulsory quarantine.

She also said that the Centre has shared details of 27,000 people with Gujarat address on their passports, who returned to India through various points of entry outside the state from March 1 onwards.

"Medicines hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, which have proved to be effective against coronavirus, are available in Gujarat in sufficient quantity," she said.

These medicines can only be taken on prescription of doctors, she added.

Meanwhile, a 65-year-old woman died of suspected coronavirus infection, but her test reports are awaited, health department officials said.

The woman suffered from diabetes and hypertension, they said.