Over half the population of Gujarat surveyed for COVID-19

Gujarat's health department has surveyed more than half the population of the state following the COVID-19 scare. Amid this crisis situation and lockdown, the Chief Minister's relief fund received around Rs 3.5 crore in donations.

Jayanti Ravi, Principal secretary, Health and family welfare Department, Gujarat said, "More than 10,000 health workers are carrying out a door to door survey following the COVID-19 scare in the state. More than half the population of the state, that is 3,50,69,926 people have been covered under the survey so far in the state. The survey found that 37,885 people had travelled interstate, while 8,265 travelled abroad. Out of this, 118 have been kept in surveillance on finding symptoms of the disease. 20,103 people have been quarantined where 19,377 are at their homes and 575 have been kept in government institutions. FIR against 236 persons have been filed for violating quarantine," added Ravi.

So far, there are 44 positive cases found in the state out of which 36 have travelled abroad. Out of the rest 18, 16 came in contact with persons having foreign travel history and two have interstate travel history," added Ravi.

"The state government on humanitarian grounds, facilitated 250 state transport buses and around 500 private vehicles for migrant labourers who were walking on the highways and sent them to their destinations in and outside Gujarat. But now not a single migrant labour will be allowed on the roads. The government is assuring them of providing food, water, shelter," said Ashwini Kumar, the secretary of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

"We have also ensured that the factory owners, industry owners do not send their workers and labourers away due to the closure of their units. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has ordered all the district collectors to strictly implement this order," added Kumar.

"We have received Rs 3.5 crore in the Chief Minister's relief fund where the former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, in his individual capacity, has donated Rs 1,00,000, the Somnath Trust where he is the chairperson has donated Rs 1,00,00,000, the Sardardham Rs 21 lakh and Khodaldham Trust also Rs 21 lakhs. More than 3,500 persons have donated in the CM relief fund so far," added Kumar. IANS