Surat sees record one-day spike of 307 coronavirus cases

Surat, Jul 9 () Surat district registered a record single-day spike of 307 coronavirus cases since previous evening on Thursday which was also the highest increase in cases in Gujarat, the state health department said.

This was the first time the district recorded more than 300 new patients during 24 hours.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Surat district thus went up to 7,581, second highest after Ahmedabad, said an official release.

Ahmedabad district reported 162 new patients on Thursday.

While 212 new patients emerged in Surat city, 95 patients were found in rural areas of the district.

Six patients also died in the last 24 hours -- four in the city and two elsewhere in the district. The death toll in the Surat district thus rose to 277.

124 coronavirus patients recovered and were given discharge, taking the number of recovered patients in the district to 4,514.

Of 212 new patients in the city, highest 58 were found in Katargam zone, followed by 32 in Varachha-A zone and 30 in Varachha-B, said a release by the Surat Municipal Corporation.

Katargam zone of the city is the worst affected area with 1,657 cases so far, followed by 1,144 in Limbayat and 844 in Varachha-A zone.

While the SMC has already ordered temporary closure of all the diamond units, paan shops and street food joints in Katargam, Varachha and Sarthana (Varachha-B) areas to stop the spread of virus, it has also issued guidelines for textile markets.

A textile market will be shut for 14 days if two or more cases emerge in a market with 100 shops, five or more cases in a market with upto 500 shops and 10 or more cases in a market with more than 500 shops, it said. COR PJT PD KRK KRK