Drive-through RT-PCR Covid-19 testing facility launched in Ahmedabad from April 14

A day after the Gujarat High Court observed that there are no RT-PCR testing centres in the talukas and small villages, drive-through RT-PCR testing has been launched at GMDC Ground in Ahmedabad from Wednesday.

"It will help to contain COVID by limiting the lab rush. Those getting tested have to register via QR code. Report to be sent in 24 hours," said one of the organizers. 

As per reports, This testing system will not only help to stop the virus from spreading, but will also help the physically challenged, senior citizens, and patients who can skip the queue at other sample collection centres.

Meanwhile, on Monday the Gujarat High Court found discrepancies and inconsistencies in the state government's policies to combat the second wave of COVID-19. The Bench consisting of Chief Justice (CJ) Vikram Nath and Justice Bhargav D. Karia upon hearing Advocate General (AG) Kamal Trivedi, senior-most state law officers, and government pleader suggested that the number of people attending weddings should be limited to 50.  Advocate General Kamal Trivedi ruled out the idea of lockdown and highlighted its ill effects on daily wagers.

Gujarat govt, DRDO to set up 900-bed COVID care hospital

The Gujarat government on Tuesday said it will set up a 900-bed COVID care hospital in collaboration with the DRDO, a premier facility of the ministry of defence. The hospital, with 150 ICU beds with ventilator facility, will come up in Gujarat University Convention Centre within two weeks, and work on it had already started at the Centre, a state government release said. Each of the 900 beds will have an oxygen supply, and the facility will be designed in such a manner that 500 more beds can be added in the future if the need arises, the release said. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani thanked the Centre and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for this intervention, the release added.

COVID-19 Cases In Gujarat 

Nearly 60 percent of the total COVID-19 cases in Gujarat were reported from eight major cities, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said on Tuesday and called for better coordination between officials and office-bearers of civic bodies. The CM held a virtual review meeting with senior officials, mayors, and other office-bearers of municipal corporations of Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, Vadodara, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Gandhinagar, and Junagadh.

"A total of 60 percent of the total COVID-19 cases in Gujarat are reported from the eight major cities. I am confident that we could stem the spread of the virus if office-bearers (elected wing) of municipal corporations play a key role in that exercise," Rupani is quoted as saying in an official release. Gujarat's overall case tally stood at 3,53,516 and the death toll at 4,855 as of April 12, the health department had said.

(With Agency Inputs)