When cases were on the rise during May, the state government had started COVID-19 wards at the Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre, better known as kidney hospital, and in the premises of the Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, also known as cancer hospital.
The kidney and cancer hospitals are government-run entities and situated in the premises of Civil Hospital in the Asarwa area of the city.
While the Civil Hospital has allotted 1,200 beds for coronavirus patients, around 450 beds were earmarked by these two hospitals to treat such cases.
"Cases started increasing in April and May in Ahmedabad. There was a time when all beds got occupied and we were compelled to create new beds at kidney and cancer hospitals.
"But now, as against the occupancy of over 1,100 beds in the past, only 250 coronavirus patients are currently admitted to the Civil Hospital," said the hospital's superintendent, Dr M M Prabhakar.
"In view of the current situation, we have decided to shut COVID-19 wards at the kidney and cancer hospitals," he added.
For the first time since the outbreak, Ahmedabad city, the worst-hit due to coronavirus in Gujarat, slipped to the second spot in terms of fresh cases reported on July 1.
As against 183 fresh cases registered in Surat city in the last 24 hours, the number was 182 in Ahmedabad.
For a significant period in the recent past, Ahmedabad had reported over 200 COVID-19 cases every day.
Prabhakar cited several reasons for the drop in the cases.
"It is possible that people might have developed herd immunity. It is also possible that virus may have weakened. In addition, ICMR's new guidelines enabled authorities to treat patients with mild symptoms at home," he said PJT PD RSY RSY