Gujarat COVID-19 cases up by 398 to 8195; death toll 493

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Ahmedabad, May 10 () Gujarat on Sunday reported 398new COVID-19 cases and 21 deaths, including 18 from Ahmedabadalone, taking the total case count to 8,195 and the number offatalities to 493, a state Health department official said.

The state has also reported a sharp jump in therecovery of COVID-19 patients, with 454 patients gettingdischarged from hospitals on Sunday, based on the reviseddischarge policy.

The total number of the recovered patients now standsat 2,545, the official said, adding that Gujarat has a higherdischarge rate compared to Punjab, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu,Maharashtra, Odisha, Delhi and Chandigarh.

Of the 21 deaths, 18 were from Ahmedabad, and one eachfrom Anand, Bhavnagar and Surat, said Principal Secretary(Health) Jayanti Ravi.

"Thirteen of 21 deceased were suffering from comorbidconditions," she said.

While Ahmedabad reported 278 new cases, Surat reported41 cases, Vadodara 25 and Gandhinagar 10 of the total 17districts that have reported fresh cases on Sunday, theofficial added.

Total COVID-19 cases in Ahmedabad district went up to5,818.

Explaining the rise in the number of the recoveredpatients, Ravi said that asymptomatic cases or those havingmild symptoms can be discharged from hospitals after ten dayswithout conducting any tests, as per the revised dischargedpolicy.

"As many as 454 patients recovered and discharged fromstate hospitals on Sunday. The patient discharge rate inGujarat, which was 15.58 per cent on May 1, has more thandoubled to 32.64 per cent in just nine days," said Ravi.

Ravi said Gujarat now has 5,157 active cases, 31 ofwhom are on ventilator and in serious condition,whereasothers are stable.

Gujarat COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positivecases 8,195, new cases 398, deaths 493, number of dischargedpeople 2,545, active cases 5,157 and people tested so far1,13,493. KANSK NSK