Ahmedabad reported 267 new cases taking the total to 3,313 while 16 more deaths took the death toll to 165. (Representational Photo)

With 18 COVID-19 patients succumbing to the infection on Friday, the death toll in Gujarat rose to 236, while the state tally now stands at 4,765 with 328 new cases being reported. Of the 18 patients who died, 10 had no underlying medical conditions. Testing capacity also saw a further increase, with 4,767 samples taken in a span of 24 hours, using the pooling technique. As of Friday, 36 were critical and on ventilatory care.

Principal Health Secretary Jayanti Ravi also visited Khambat, which reported the maximum number of cases in Anand district, to assess the situation.

“Nearly 40,000 households have to be surveyed. We also suggested focusing on those above 50 years. We saw lockdown is being strictly enforced. We are also checking for oxygen saturation level and have provided our healthworkers with pulse oxymeter and we expect Khambat will come under control soon with our efforts,” said Ravi.

Ahmedabad reported 267 new cases taking the total to 3,313 while 16 more deaths took the death toll to 165. Of them, nine had no comorbidities and primarily died due to COVID-19. These include women aged 70, 56 and 54 years and men aged 50, 76, 58, 74, 42 and 46 years. Three others who were hypertensive – men aged 56 and 71 and a woman aged 70 years too died.

A 62-year-old man and a 60-year-old man who died at Civil Hospital also had underlying kidney conditions. The youngest fatality of the day was a 39-year old diabetic woman while another 69-year old man had multiple comorbidities of hypertension, diabetes and cardiac condition.

Surat saw a 45-year old man with no other serious ailment, succumbing to the infection and another 62-year-old diabetic and hypertensive man in Panchmahal with lung conditions, also breathed his last.

Vadodara reported 19 new cases taking the district tally to 324, seeing a quantum jump for a second consecutive day. Six of these cases were reported from Panigate and five each were reported from Nagarwada and Wadi or Gajrawadi area.

Botad too added four more cases, taking the total to 24, with infection of all four traced to close contacts. Two men aged 65 and 70 years who are neighbours of a positive case along with the 27-year-old son of an earlier positive case and 54-year-old wife of another confirmed case, were among the new cases.

Banaskantha and Gandhinagar reported one new case each taking the districts’ total to 29 and 49 respectively. Kutch, that had no active case, reported a fresh case, taking the total to 7. Patan too reported a fresh case taking the district total to 7.