COVID-19 cases reach 1168 in Ahmedabad city; deaths rise to 34

Ahmedabad, Apr 20 () The number of coronaviruscases in Ahmedabad city rose to 1,168 on Monday after 91 morepeople tested positive for the infection, an official said.

Three more COVID-19 patients died, taking the deathtoll in the city to 34, Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner VijayNehra said.

He said the sudden rise in number of coronavirus caseswas due to aggressive testing through active surveillance.

Out of 91 fresh cases, 61 were reported from thecity's central zone, 13 from south zone, he said.

Nehra said 14,503 samples have so far been tested inthe city, out of which 12,675 have been tested as part of theactive surveillance drive.

Five more patients have been discharged, taking thenumber of those who recovered in the city rose to 35, he said,adding that the number of such people will increase from April23-24 after most of them will complete their 14-day treatment.

The city health teams also conducted 264 tests usingrapid testing kits, out of which the antibody tests of eightcame out positive, the official said.

"We managed around 6,000 people who came to Ahmedabadfrom abroad last month till March 22 to contain any spread ofcoronavirus from them. Some people came from other states,including Indore, and several people came from Nizamuddin(Tablighi Jamaat event) in Delhi, which caused the spread ofinfection," Nehra said.

Most of the these infections spread in east Ahmedabad,especially in the walled city areas, where the civic body iscarrying out intensive surveillance and aggressive testing tofight the coronavirus.

"Our strategy is to detect, isolate and treat thepatiets. The sudden spike in the number of cases is because weare able to find more number of cases through activesurveillance. We have found more than 900 cases proactively,"the civic commissioner said, and urged people to continue tofollow the rules even after the lockdown is lifted.

He said the civic body is also trying to find "superspreaders" of coronavirus.

"A super spreader could be a shop owner, sanitationworkers, vegetable vendor, water collector, who come incontact with several persons. Such a person can spread thedisease to more number of people. We have taken up a campaignfor screening, testing, and infection management of such superspreaders," he said.

Three private hospitals have also been allowed totreat coronavirus patients, he added. KA PDGK GK