AHMEDABAD/ GANDHINAGAR: A cautious Gujarat government has decided to play safe and not permit any lockdown relaxations granted by Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) in red zones.
On Sunday, the Viay Rupani-led government issued a notification reiterating the status quo over the next two weeks for areas falling under the municipal corporation limits of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Gandhinagar, Rajkot and Bhavnagar. Relaxations will also not be provided in municipal areas of Bopal, Bareja, Godhra, Khambhat and Umreth municipalities. This effectively means a total lockdown will continue to be implemented in these regions.
Earlier on Friday, the MHA declaring extension of lockdown till May 17 had permitted movement of individuals in private vehicles, reopening of private offices with 33% strength, resuming of shops selling non-essential items in malls and market complexes, among others, even in red zones with due restrictions.
Sources close to the development said the government may also review the lockdown norms in next two-three days and may grant some more relaxations.
Virus strain causing complications in state
Dr Atul Patel said, “The Covid-19 strain in Gujarat is more aggressive and is causing serious complications like hyperthrombosis wherein blood clots form in vital organs and hyper-inflammation leading to rapid deterioration of patients,” he said.
“It’s seen not only in patients with co-morbidities but even among the young who are not in high-risk category.” He added that as there is no medication available to reduce viral load in patients, the treatment is limited when the virus attacks the body aggressively, said Dr Patel. When questioned about the high death rate and low recovery rate in Gujarat, a senior state health department official said that over 70% of the deaths have been recorded in 60-plus years population where diabetes and hypertension are found to be the most prevalent morbidity.
“Our recovery rate is improving with more than 100 patients getting discharged daily for past three days. Our cases have got doubled in past eight days. Thus, majority of the patients are still to complete the seven and 14-day cycle of recovery.”
On Sunday, the Viay Rupani-led government issued a notification reiterating the status quo over the next two weeks for areas falling under the municipal corporation limits of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Gandhinagar, Rajkot and Bhavnagar. Relaxations will also not be provided in municipal areas of Bopal, Bareja, Godhra, Khambhat and Umreth municipalities. This effectively means a total lockdown will continue to be implemented in these regions.
Earlier on Friday, the MHA declaring extension of lockdown till May 17 had permitted movement of individuals in private vehicles, reopening of private offices with 33% strength, resuming of shops selling non-essential items in malls and market complexes, among others, even in red zones with due restrictions.
Sources close to the development said the government may also review the lockdown norms in next two-three days and may grant some more relaxations.
Virus strain causing complications in state
Dr Atul Patel said, “The Covid-19 strain in Gujarat is more aggressive and is causing serious complications like hyperthrombosis wherein blood clots form in vital organs and hyper-inflammation leading to rapid deterioration of patients,” he said.
“It’s seen not only in patients with co-morbidities but even among the young who are not in high-risk category.” He added that as there is no medication available to reduce viral load in patients, the treatment is limited when the virus attacks the body aggressively, said Dr Patel. When questioned about the high death rate and low recovery rate in Gujarat, a senior state health department official said that over 70% of the deaths have been recorded in 60-plus years population where diabetes and hypertension are found to be the most prevalent morbidity.
“Our recovery rate is improving with more than 100 patients getting discharged daily for past three days. Our cases have got doubled in past eight days. Thus, majority of the patients are still to complete the seven and 14-day cycle of recovery.”
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