432 people under home quarantine in Surat and Tapi

Surat: Rumour mongers had a field day in Surat city and district after a 21-year-old man, who recently returned from the United Kingdom, was kept in the isolation ward of New Civil Hospital (NCH) here on Tuesday. His Covid-19 test report is awaited. Surat district health administration issued a rejoinder to fake news that had gone viral on social media in this regard.
Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) officials said a 23-year-old engineering student was admitted to NCH as a suspected Covid-19 patient and his samples sent to Ahmedabad for testing.He had also travelled to Spain and Poland in the recent past.
“As on Tuesday, 428 people are under home quarantine in Surat city and are being constantly monitored as per government guidelines,’’ said Dr. Ashish Naik, deputy municipal commissioner (health), SMC. Besides the student, there is another person who has been kept in isolation ward of a hospital in Surat. Meanwhile, SMC on Tuesday ordered closure of Narmad Central Library, Dr. Vishnuprashad Trivedi Library, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Library and other libraries in different parts of the city. The science centre too will remain closed until March 31.
Meanwhile, a person, who returned from Saudi Arabia, has been kept in isolation ward at Bharuch Civil Hospital on Tuesday. He hails from Amod village in Bharuch district. Health department officials said samples of the suspected coronavirus patient have been sent to Ahmedabad for test. His test report is expected soon.
“We have 70 beds in isolation ward in civil and private hospitals and about 150 quarantine beds in the district. We plan to increase the quarantine beds to 500,” Dr Nilesh Patel, epidemic medical officer, Bharuch, told TOI.
In Tapi district, about 18 non-resident Gujaratis (NRGs) were under home quarantine for 14 days. “Of the 18 NRGs, home quarantine has ended for 14 people. Four persons are still under home quarantine,” said Dr. Harshad Patel, chief district health officer (CDHO), Tapi district.
“We have created a special six bed isolation ward for suspected coronavirus patients. We have also set up a control room where people can lodge their complaints about high priced sanitizers and masks. The local body of Vyara town has started to fine people found spitting in public,’’ Dr. Harshad Patel added.