14-month-old, son of daily wager, among 20 new coronavirus cases detected in Gujarat

The number of positive coronavirus case in Gujarat rose to 128 on Sunday with detection of 20 fresh cases in the past 24 hours, the highest number till date. A 14-month-old baby boy, son of a daily wager, was also found infected with the virus in Jamanagar, a first in the district. Officials said that the source of the virus in the boy is not known as yet and his parents and other close contacts don't have any symptoms. The boy's parents live in a chawl that has nearly 62 households.

"We haven't been able to trace the source of infection. The boy was admitted to pediatric ward where he was attended by two doctors. He was discharged but later his condition again deteriorated and was brought back. His test result came today which confirmed he had covornavirus. His parents, who are originally from UP, and other who were in touch with the boy have not shown any symptoms. We are going to quarantine all the doctors, ward boys, his chawl," Jamnagar district collector Ravi Shankar told DH. He said that entire health department with the help of police are trying to find out everyone who came in contact with boy. The parents have no travel history. His father works a daily wager in factories.

As a matter of fact, in nearly a dozen positive cases source of infection is not known while the state is also witnessing spread of infection only through local transmission. In the past five days, 78 cases were found to have been spread through local and 17 cases have intrastate travel history. Officials said that out of 17, eight cases are linked to Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Nizamuddin in Delhi. The health department is also worried over rising cases linked to this congregation.

Earlier in the day, principal secretary, health, Jayanti Ravi told media persons "Yesterday, we found three cases linked to Tablighi congregation. Apart from that, Ahmedabad has reported ten positive cases which were detected in the hotspot zones or those areas where Muslim brothers and sisters live in majority. There is a big possibility that these cases are directly or indirectly connected to Nizamuddin event."

Later in the day, Director General of Police, Shivanand Jha, said in his media briefing in Gandhinagar that till Sunday afternoon, police have traced 126 persons who attended Tablighi Jamaat congregation at its headquarters in Nizamuddin, Delhi, out of which six were detected with the coronavirus by Sunday afternoon.

Jha said that all of them have been isolated and being treated as per the protocol. Out of six cases, five were detected in Ahmedabad and one case was found in Chotaudaipur district in central Gujarat which recorded its first case. Earlier, two persons had been found infected with the virus who had attended the event in Delhi.

In Bhavnagar city limits, ten cases have been detected out of which nine are said to be result of local transmission suspected to have spread through the 70 year-old businessman who had attended the congregation, and passed away from the virus last week. In the close proximity of his house, nine cases have been found in his close relatives and people who came in touch with him.

"We have already isolated the whole locality that has over 4000 households that house more than 20,000 population," Bhavnagar municipal commissioner MA Gandhi told DH. He said that also detected another positive case today whose source in not traced as yet, he added. Similarly, a whole area housing over 20,000 people have been quarantined.

Meanwhile, state also recorded a fresh death on Sunday in Surat where a 61-year-old woman died, taking the death toll to 11. So far, 21 patients have been cured and discharged.