Gujarat is facing a steep challenge posed by coronavirus pandemic. The state is one of the worst-hit in the country with over 15,000 cases and a death toll nearing 1000.
The state's COVID-19 case tally has increased to 15,572 after 367 infections while the fatality count has risen to 960 after 22 deaths occurred on Thursday.?
454 coronavirus patients recovered and were discharged from various hospitals, taking the total of recovered patients in Gujarat to 8,001.??
Gujarat has recorded recorded 960 deaths as of May 28, the second highest death toll for any state after Maharashtra. Gujarat has fewer deaths proportionate to its population compared to Maharashtra, but a far higher level of fatalities proportionate to its case load.? ?
The share of cases that end in fatalities in Gujarat is over 6 per cent, and second only to West Bengal where it is 7 per cent.??
Gujarat's healthcare system has also been crippled by the fact that frontline warriors have suffered with overwhelming crisis, with more than 100 doctors having tested positive for covid in Ahmedabad in two months.?
While many of them have discharged from hospitals following their recovery, some are still undergoing treatment, secretary of IMA-Gujarat, Dr Kamlesh Saini, told PTI. A renowned orthopaedic surgeon from the city has succumbed to the viral infection, he said.??
"Those who tested positive included senior doctors. A former dean of the BJ Medical College had also tested coronavirus positive," Saini was quoted as saying by PTI.
"The number of infected doctors could be more than 100 because many of them have not come forward and informed the association about their infection," he added.
Several doctors attached to the civic-body run hospitals also tested positive during this period who are now said to be undergoing treatment.?
Apart from doctors many other frontline COVID-19 warriors like policemen, heath department staff, the government staff involved in distribution of ration to poor, and teachers have also tested coronavirus positive.??
The city of Ahmedabad accounts for bulk of the coronavirus cases in Gujarat - more than 11,000.