Nearly 594 cases have also been underreported by the former, with the city administration reporting 14,902 cases till date. (Representational)
The Gujarat coronavirus tally neared 67,000 cases with an addition of 1,073 fresh positive cases on Wednesday. Surat, which continues to take the lead in the number of cases as well as fatalities, saw two BJP councilors — one of whom was a former councillor — and the resident medical officer at a hospital die of Covid-19.
Surat city BJP president Nitin Bhajiyawala (Thaker) (63) and his wife Jayeshreeben (57) also tested positive for the virus on Tuesday. The couple have been home quarantined.
The state health department continues to reflect an under reporting of 155 Covid-19 deaths with respect to those reflected by the Surat local administration, which reported six fresh deaths on Wednesday and 619 deaths till date. Nearly 594 cases have also been underreported by the former, with the city administration reporting 14,902 cases till date.
BJP councilor from Bardoli Municipality ward number 1, Balkrishna alias Bhanabhai Patil (53) died of Covid on Wednesday after testing positive five days ago. He was initially being treated at Sardar hospital in Bardoli and then shifted to Unique Hospital in Surat city. Patil, a second-hand car dealer by profession, was also a leader of the Samast Maharashtrian Samaj of Bardoli.
Former BJP councillor Urmilla Rana (43) of Surat city ward number 24, too, succumbed to the infection on Wednesday. She was undergoing treatment at a private hospital for the past five days. BJP sources said that she had earlier been elected the municipal councilor of BJP in Surat, twice.
Meanwhile, Dr Hitesh Lathiya (34), working as a resident medical officer in the Covid department of Venus hospital at Rampura, was declared dead by doctors on Wednesday afternoon. He had tested positive a few days ago and was undergoing treatment at the same hospital.
Mehsana crossed a 1,000 cases after 24 tested positive in the district, marking the eighth district to have reported over a 1,000 cases till date.
Meanwhile, Vadodara reported a record high of 115 cases on Wednesday, even as three others died due to Covid-19. Rajkot saw another 80 test positive while five others succumbed here.