Surat: As the Diamond City grapples to contain rising coronavirus cases, 240 fresh cases were reported on Monday, the highest in the last five months. What’s more alarming is that of the 240 cases, 37 new cases were reported from educational institutes. These infected persons include students, teachers and clerical staff of the institutions.
Once again, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has urged schools and colleges and parents of students to ensure that their children and wards strictly follow the Covid-19 guidelines.
“Coronavirus cases are on the rise and the city has also reported cases with UK and South African Covid-19 strain. The hospitalisation in SMC run SMIMER Hospital and New Civil Hospital (NCH) has doubled from 17 cases to 35 in one day in the city,” said SMC commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani in an audio message to citizens.
He added that the most affected areas in Athwa zone include City light, Panas, Althan, Vesu and Athwa. In Rander zone, Pal, Adajan and Adajan Patiya are the most affected with increasing cases of Covid-19 infections.
Similarly, in Limbayat zone, two wards — Godadara and Dindoli — are most affected, Pani said, urging citizen to be cautious in the wake of the increasing number of cases.
“In the past 24 hours ending Monday evening, 2,200 tests were conducted in 38 schools and where 37 people including students and teachers have tested positive for coronavirus,” Pani said.
SMC officials said that more cases are being reported from the textile markets and units in the city. Infection cases are also being reported from diamond markets as well, they added.
“People should avoid travelling outside the city as 50% of tests conducted on people with travel history are turning out to be positive for coronavirus,” the commissioner added.