Gandhinagar (Gujarat): Gujarat is one of the worst-hit affected Covid-19 states in the country with 5,707 active COVID-19 cases and 1448 deaths. Just 23 km away from Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar has emerged as one of the hotspots in the state with 473 COVID-19 cases out of which 182 are active.
The city witnessed a sudden spike in the COVID-19 cases which was initially free from the clutches of the deadly virus. ETV Bharat did a special report to understand why Ahmedabad's twin city has become the fourth one in the state with a sudden increase in the COVID-19 cases.
According to the initial reports, there were no reports of the virus in the city but after Dubai returned youth Umang Patel was found coronavirus positive, making it the first case in the city. The youth did not follow the protocols of the home quarantine and social distancing. The virus spread its tentacles and thereafter eleven people in his family were found positive. Gandhinagar was declared a red zone and panic gripped the locals.
Patel had also infected an 80-year-old lady in the family, who was admitted to Gandhinagar Civil hospital later succumbed to the deadly virus. Later, a 52-year-old woman died of COVID-19 in the Kolavada village of Gandhinagar.
District collector issued public notifications twice after the city saw a sudden spike in the coronavirus patients. In the first notification, essential services, including groceries and vegetable shops, were exempted from lockdown. But when cases continued to escalate, only medical stores and milk parlours were exempted from lockdown which was extended from the state capital city to Kalol town, Dahegam and Manasa municipalities.
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The influx of migrants from Ahemadabad and nearby districts made it more difficult for the health authorities to contain the spread of the virus. In view of the increasing Covid-19 cases, leader of the opposition in Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation Shailendrasinh Bihola wrote to Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and the borders of the city were shut.
The Government civil hospital in the city treats patients from Ahmedabad and other districts which has also resulted in the Covid-19 cases. At present, even medical workers, media personnel, health workers are facing a severe health crisis.
Positive cases have been reported from talukas of Gandhinagar, Dahegam, Manasa and Kalol. Six deaths from Gandhinagar taluka, five deaths from Dahegam, one death from Manasa and five deaths from Kalol have been reported till date. All the 30 sectors of Gandhinagar are in the grip of the coronavirus excluding Adivada and Basan.
If sources are to be believed, the health authorities of the state did not take precautionary measures on time which resulted in the huge spike in the cases. The state government had also kept its state secretariat open and four press conferences were held on a daily basis.
Health secretary Jayanti Ravi, CMO Ashwini Kumar, Director General of Police used to organise media briefings which were visited by a large number of people. The failure of the state government and its uninterrupted connection with Ahmedabad city made Gandhinagar a Covid-19 hotspot.
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