Surat: After almost four months, the city registered a death due to coronavirus infection on Friday.
An 82-year-old man, who lived in Vesu area of Athwa zone, succumbed in the state-run New Civil Hospital (NCH). “He was suffering from Parkinson’s disease and other comorbidities,” said official sources.
The death toll since the beginning of the pandemic in Surat last year has now touched 851.
The Covid-19 cases, especially from educational institutes, continued to spike with 183 more testing positive on Friday. Athwa zone continued to register the highest cases among eight civic zones with 59 cases.
"On Friday, 2,484 Covid-19 tests were conducted in 37 schools and colleges across the city. Out of these, 14 which include nine school children, one house keeping person and one nanny. Three students of a school in Godadara tested positive while educational institutions which have reported cases are in Adajan, Athwalines, Magdalla Amroli, Bhestanand Pandesara.
The diamond and textile centres too have been witnessing a steady rise in infections.
According to SMC officials, educational institutions, textile markets and people coming or returning from outside the city are new super spreaders of the infection.
"With rising infections and its complications, cases in isolation wards in different hospitals in the city are steadily on rise. On Friday, there were a total 156 Covid-19 patients who are under treatment in hospitals, said officials.
Meanwhile, the vaccination drive is going on in a full swing with 1.47 lakh people having taken the jab till Friday.