Ahmedabad (Gujarat):Coronavirus positive cases have been increasing in Gujarat during the last two and a half months. In the initial days, the frequency of tests was said to be good. When ETV Bharat checked the reality, it has come to our notice that the number of tests has got a dip in the last 4-5 days. Despite the lesser tests conducted these days, the cases of the deadly virus escalated drastically. Though, Gujarat government claims 5,000 tests are being done every day. But, the ground reality does not match what the government has been projecting.
ETV BHARAT REALITY CHECK:
According to the data collected from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Gujarat ranks fourth in terms of COVID-19 cases. The total number of cases has surged to 15,562, in which 8,003 people got discharged/migrated and 960 people have lost the battle against the deadly disease. However, this is the official claim. Despite, securing the fourth position, the Gujarat government squashed the testing of the virus.
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Though the cases of the deadly virus have been escalating day by day, the state government has relaxed the lockdown norms. Our reality check team has seen that the lockdown is being followed only in containment zones. Government sources claim that the Vijay Rupani led government is in a mood to give further relaxation in the lockdown-5, if implemented.
As the situation worsens in the last 4-5 days, the Ahmedabad Medical Association has suggested the government to allow private laboratories to carry out coronavirus tests.
Even the Gujarat High Court has told the state government to increase the number of tests so that asymptomatic positive cases do not infect others and can be contained. The spread of coronavirus can be checked if the High Court’s directive is followed. More the number of test, lesser would be the infection. The state government has told the High Court that it was carrying out 5,000 tests every day. But, the ground reality claims a different scenario.
Decreasing number of tests in last five days
May 24– 4,802
May 25– 3,492
May 26- 2,952
May 27 – 4,550
May 28 – 4,185
From the above figures, it is evident that the health department is decreasing the number of tests.
The health department claims that it has been doing the testing as per the guidelines of ICMR. If the guideline says the number of testing has to be reduced then this should be made public. Moreover, private hospitals and laboratories should be allowed to carry out tests so that reality is known.
Government is worried that if more testing is done then there would be an increase in a number of positive cases so where can the government treat these patients. The government has also said that no test would be conducted on asymptomatic persons. The government has also directed the hospitals to discharge patients after ten days without conducting the viral test.
Who is misguiding the government?
The medical staff of government hospitals and residents of housing colonies in the containment zone want to be tested but they are not being tested. The medical staff of the cancer hospital and LG Hospital had carried out protest demonstrations and dharna demanding test. After some media organisations raised their voices, their tests were done.
The Gujarat government had admitted before the Gujarat High Court that if the number of tests increases, there will be a chance that more than 70 per cent of the state population would be tested positive of the deadly disease. To this, the High Court quipped that the argument does not justify the administration stopping or reducing the number of tests.
Earlier, the Congress had demanded to step up the testing module. Yet, the state government is performing at a snail’s pace.
Testing will be increased if private hospitals and laboratories are allowed to do the test and infected persons can be given timely treatment or placed under quarantine. Doing so would stop the pandemic from spreading.
Latest figures about coronavirus in Gujarat
Till now, Gujarat has done 1,98,048 tests of which 6,611 are active, 76 are on ventilator and 6,535 are stable patients. A total of 8,003 patients have been discharged. The total number of deaths till May 28 is 960. In Ahmedabad, 3,13,729 people have been placed under quarantine, of who 3,05,443 are under home quarantine, 8,286 are in government facilities.
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