Seven More Coronavirus Positive Cases in Gujarat, Number Rises to 14

Ahmedabad: Seven new coronavirus cases were found in Gujarat on Saturday, taking the number of confirmed patients to 14, officials said. A 52-year-old woman from Kutch districtwith a travel history to Mecca tested positive for the infection in the evening.

So far five cases have been reported in Ahmedabad, three in Surat and Vadodara each, and one each in Rajkot, Gandhinagar and Kutch, officials said. "The woman from Kutch with travel history to Mecca for Haj tested positive, though her husband tested negative. We have carried out survey in the entire village in Lakhpat tehsil from where she hails, but nobody else with infection symptoms has been detected," said Kutch collector Praveena D K.

Five other patients who tested positive on Saturday are all men with history of travel to Dubai, USA and Sri Lanka, health department officials said. A seventh patient, a 69-year-old man from Surat, had not traveled abroad, but visited Delhi and Jaipur recently, they said.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani visited Ahmedabad civil hospital and announced that the new 1,200-bed super-specialty block at the hospital will be reserved for coronavirus patients. Similar facilities will be set up in Rajkot, Vadodara and Surat, he added. Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel also visited SSG Hospital in Vadodara to review the situation.

Home Minister Pradipsinh Jadeja warned those spreading misleading information about coronavirus on social media platforms. "Action will be taken against people who are spreading fake WhatsApp messages to create panic and confusion. Cases will be registered against them," Jadeja said. The state reported its first two coronavirus positive cases on Thursday.

The government said it has started coronavirus testing facilities at Surat and Bhavnagar medical colleges in addition to existing two laboratories. It has already ordered closure of schools, colleges, coaching classes, gyms, water parks, multiplexes and other public places. To prevent gathering of people, the authorities in some districts have imposed section 144 of the CrPC.