With a total of 33 positive coronavirus cases and one instance of death in the state, the Gujarat government on Tuesday claimed that it has surveyed 10 lakh people through its Integrated Disease Surveillance Platform (IDSP) to gauge the spread of deadly coronovirus infection. While announcing the exercise undertaken by the state, Principal Secretary, Health, Jayanti Ravi said that survey is being conducted on the basis of data of air passengers of the state who came from abroad.
"We are the first state to conduct such survey of locals who have travel history. The data has been provided by the government of India that includes 27,000 people who returned from abroad and 20,000 people who have arrived in the state from Surat and Ahmedabad and else where in the country like Bengalore or Mumbai airports. The data also include air passengers who came by roads," Ravi said while adding "We are going to each and every houses of such people and getting details of their contacts in their neighbourhoods too." The state has received the data on the basis of the passports of Gujarati who are said to have traveled abroad recently.
Ravi said that along with such survey, the health team is also trying to find out data of people who complained of Acute Severe Respiratory Distress Syndrome from private and government doctors, complained registered with medical emergency service 108 of breathlessness and high fever and calls made to helpline 104 of similar symptoms.
Giving details of COVID-19 cases, she said that out of three new cases detected Tuesday, two are result of local transmission detected in Gandhinagar and one case was reported in Surat who had traveled to Saudi Arabia. Officials said that total local transmission cases have reached over eight cases and are set to spread more.
So far, Ahmedabad has reported 13 positive cases, Vadodara, Surat and Gandhinagar six each while Rajkot and Kutch has reported one case each.
Published 24 March 2020, 17:08 IST