Gujarat logs close to 10,000 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours; Rajkot cops book 23 unvaxxed people

Ahmedabad: Driven by Ahmedabad and Surat, the relentless surge in Covid-19 cases touched 9,941 cases in Gujarat during the last 24 hours as on Wednesday evening, registering a whopping increase of 33% over Tuesday. Four persons died. There is no case of Omicron in Gujarat for the last two days.

Simultaneously, a hyperactive Rajkot police went ahead and lodged criminal cases against 23 people for not taking vaccine shots -- first or both jabs -- in the last four days.

The police were targeting shopkeepers, traders and hawkers who come into contact with many people during the course of their business. They were booked under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code for “disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant” and Section 135 of the Gujarat Police Act, 1951 as “penalty for contravention of rules or directions.”

With Wednesday’s cases, the number of active cases in the State has jumped to 43,726 and death toll has risen to 10,136. Two people died of Covid-19 in Surat and one each in Rajkot and Valsad.

What is worrying, Gujarat has posted a rise of 45,154 cases in a space of a week with Ahmedabad city contributing 40% of the infections. Officials said the city had a positive rate of 21.5% against the State average of 8%.

During the last 24 hours as on Wednesday evening, Ahmedabad logged 3,843 cases, which is an increase of 34% in a day. Surat followed with 2,505 cases, Vadodara 776, Rajkot 319, Valsad 218 and Gandhinagar 150. Ahmedabad rural recorded 61 cases.

Gujarat did not have a single Omicron case on Wednesday, while 13 patients were discharged with the tally reaching 26. In all, the State saw 264 Omicron cases while 238 persons recovered.