Gujarat confirms 11 new Coronavirus cases; total number jumps to 29: Official

Eleven new coronavirus cases have been reported in Gujarat, taking the total number of those infected by the deadly virus in the state to 29, the state health department said on Monday. Among the new patients, five are males and six females. Of these, five cases are of local transmission and six patients have history of recent visits to countries like Saudi Arabia, France, Sri Lanka and the UK, it said.

With this, Ahmedabad now has total 13 cases, Vadodara-six, Surat and Gandhinagar-four each, and Kutch and Rajkot-one each, the health department said. So far, one coronavirus patient has died in the state. The death of a 69-year-old man was reported from Surat on Sunday, it said. He had interstate travel history and was suffering from various ailments like kidney failure and asthma, officials earlier said. The Health Department of Gujarat also said that there has been another death in Vadodara - a 65-year old woman, whose COVID results are awaited. 

Partial lockdown extended

The Gujarat government on Sunday extended partial lockdown of all shops, except those selling essential items and services, to capital Gandhinagar a day after ordering their closure till March 25 in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot. In order to contain the spread of coronavirus, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has announced closure of all shops-malls except those selling essential items in Gandhinagar as well after ordering this in four metros of Surat, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Rajkot till March 25, said a release.

In these five cities, shops selling essential items like milk, vegetables, food items, medicines, medical equipment, as well as hospitals and laboratories, will remain open, while all others will remain closed till March 25. It was also decided that government offices will operate with 50 per cent class III and IV employees working on a rotation basis till March 29, though the rule will not be applicable to employees working in essential services of local self governance institutions and those working towards controlling coronavirus, said the release.