Amidst a spike in new daily Covid-19 cases, Gujarat has imposed micro-containment zones in two localities in Ahmedabad city for the first time since the end of the second wave in April-May.

Civic body Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Friday declared a micro containment zone covering about 20 houses with a population of 76 at one of the localities in the city.

This is the second such containment, after the one declared on Thursday in a locality covering 20 houses with a population of 85.

A micro containment zone has complete restrictions on movement of residents in the zone.

"The health team of the Corporation will conduct house-to-house surveillance and screening for Covid-like symptoms and will conduct Covid tests for those with symptoms," a note from the civic body said.

The daily new cases in Ahmedabad city has increased from two on October 31, 2021 to 14 on November 11, raising concerns for health authorities of the likely start of the much-feared third wave. However, on Friday, the city reported only two new cases.

For Gujarat, the active cases have jumped by 25 per cent in the past one month from 186 on October 11 to 234 as on November 11. So far during November, the active cases have increased by 14 per cent from 205 as on October 31. The state reported 22 new cases on Friday, with 35 getting a discharge.

"Most of the new cases have mild symptoms. There are no serious hospitalisations," said Bharat Gadhavi, President, Ahmedabad Hospitals & Nursing Homes Association (AHNA).

What is heartening for the health professionals ant authorities is that mortality has remained low. Across the State, a total of four deaths have been reported in the past one month, of which one has been reported so far in November.

Gujarat had recorded peak cases of 14,605 on April 30; since then the cases have been on a decline and plateaued between 20-30 since the end of July. Notably, the festive season that started with Navaratri in mid-October and lasted till Diwali last week, saw people crowding markets, public places, hotels and restaurants, besides the tourist destination within and outside the State. However, the State continues to have a night curfew between 1 am and 6 am, but the compliance of mask and social distancing is often seen getting compromised in crowds.

Besides Gujarat, other states including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and West Bengal have also shown a marginal uptick in the new daily cases.

Delhi saw its daily new cases hovering between 40-54 in the past one week. West Bengal has shown a marginal increase in new cases from 725 recorded on November 1 to 854 on November 11. Punjab saw a sharp surge from 26 to 48 in the same period. The daily new cases doubled in Haryana, too, from 20 to 40 since the start of November.

The nationwide total new cases stood at 12,516 for November 11, almost at the same level of 12,514 reported on October 31.

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