Guj Covid-19 tally nears 20k as state adds 510 fresh cases

OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS, THE STATE REPORTED 35 DEATHS, TAKING THE DEATH TOLL DUE TO THE INFECTION IN GUJARAT TO 1,219

nJAIPUR: Gujarat saw its highest spike in daily new Covid-19 cases on Saturday since May 16 (please check), with 510 new cases, which took the number of positive cases in the state to 19,617. Over the past 24 hours, the state reported 35 deaths, taking the disease’s death toll in the state to 1,219.

Gujarat health secretary, Jayanti Ravi, principal secretary (health), said 239,911 Covid-19 tests have been conducted in the state.

“A total of 35 deaths reported today include 30 from Ahmedabad, two from Surat, and one each from Anand, Bhavnagar and Surendranagar. Also, a total of 221,149 people have been quarantined in various districts of the state, out of whom 213,717 are in home quarantine and 7,432 in facility quarantine,” Ravi said.

Gujarat has the fourth-highest number of Covid-19 cases in the country. Maharashtra has the highest count, followed by Tamil Nadu and Delhi.

In an unrelated development, the state government announced it would extend the validity of caste certificates for students of socially and economically backward classes (SEBC) classes for another oneyear. The caste certificates issued had, as per the previous rules, expired on March 31, 2020.

Ashwani Kumar, secretary to chief minister said the government has decided that the validity of income “certificates being issued by the state government, which expired on March 31, 2020, has also been extended up to March 31, 2021. The validity of the income certificate for noncreamy layer of SEBC is of three-years. To extend the validity period of the certificate, the holders need not require to visit the Mamlatdar office, or to make online application,” Kumar said.

He added that the two decisions would impact nearly 1,700,000 people in the state. Of them, 1,392,000 are beneficiaries of income certificates and 298,000 are beneficiaries of noncreamy layer certificates.

“Such certificates obtained from competent authorities by holders are valid without any time limit,” Kumar said.

“Adequate number of employees has already been deployed at all the entry gates...”

- Mukhitar Singh, manager of the shrine

Places of worship in Delhi and Maharashtra will not open for now because of state-specific guidelines prohibiting them. Some other states such as Odisha, too, have taken a similar stand

*These places say they have made necessary preparations but are awaiting a final word from the state government