Gujarat sees a daily surge in COVID cases

In Gujarat, doctors are concerned over the surge in daily Covid-19 cases with more than 1,100 people testing positive on Friday. Cases of COVID pandemic are on a rise across major cities in the state like Ahmedabad which reported more than 200 cases in the day. Six patients succumbed to the infection in the state while 1,078 were discharged.

While Ahmedabad city reported 190 cases, the rural limits of the district saw nearly 30 infection cases, indicating a spike throughout the district. Meanwhile, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) Friday clarified if a symptomatic person tests negative in rapid antigen and RT-PCR tests, the urban local body will further refer such cases for a chest scan. In case a patient shows lung lesions in the scan, they will be put on home isolation and treated for the disease.

A press release issued by AMC said if such conditions of patients deteriorate in home isolation, they will be “immediately admitted to hospital by calling 108 ambulance”. In case a patient is already in home isolation, they are not to be tested for Covid-19 via rapid antigen, RT-PCR tests or HRCT.

The clarification comes a day after the AMC changed its testing policy, where asymptomatic persons will not be eligible for a rapid antigen test unless they submit they came in close contact with a positive patient. The Indian Radiology and Imaging Association Gujarat chapter president had Thursday said AMC has stopped referring chest scans to symptomatic persons with a negative Covid-19 test.