With increased testing, Rajkot sees rise in COVID-19 cases

Rajkot has reported the third highest number of daily COVID-19 cases in Gujarat after Surat and Ahmedabad in the last few days, an official said on Tuesday, attributing the rise to increased testing.

According to the state health department, there are 2,214 active cases in Rajkot, the third highest in the state after Ahmedabad with 4,021 and Surat with 2,627 cases.

While with 1,501 active cases, Vadodara is now in the fourth spot, the health data stated.

Rajkot has so far recorded 5,812 COVID-19 cases, which is fourth highest after Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara.

The fatalities, however, have remained in check with 102 deaths, the fourth highest in the state.

"We have ramped up daily testing to around 5,500 since the last four-five days, which has led to an increase in detection of COVID-19 cases. New cases are emerging from all over the city. We have kept the fatalities under control," Rajkot municipal commissioner Udit Agrawal said.

A number of steps are being taken on "surveillance, testing and treatment" to bring the situation under control, he said.

The state health department has also trained its focus on the district, with a team of experts offering guidance to the local authorities and health officials.

In the last week of August, the district reported over 100 cases every day, while since early September, new cases have neared the 150-mark.

As many as 162 cases were detected in Rajkot on September 4 and 151 on September 6, overtaking Vadodara, the health department said.

Except for Monday, the number of new cases in the district have exceeded the recoveries.

As against 148 new cases on Monday, 284 patients recovered.

The health department has shifted doctors from other districts to Rajkot in order to assist local hospitals, an official said.

While surveys are being conducted aggressively, pulse oximetres are being used to detect suspected cases and 100 ventilators have been acquired to meet the demand, the official added.