Gujarat mandates negative COVID-19 report for those traveling from Maharashtra
What's the story
The Gujarat government has made it mandatory for people coming from neighboring Maharashtra to carry a negative RT-PCR test report not older than 72 hours. "This decision has been taken in view of a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra," it said. "People entering Gujarat from Maharashtra will also have to undergo a mandatory screening," the state Health Department said.
COVID-19
Maharashtra reported 28,699 new infections on Tuesday
"Only those will be eligible to enter Gujarat from Maharashtra who have got their RT-PCR test done 72 hours prior to their visit and their test result is negative," said the order issued by Deputy Secretary, Health department, Vanrajsinh Padhiyar. As per the Maharashtra Health Department, the state's cumulative caseload stood at 25,33,026 on March 23 when Maharashtra added 28,699 new infections.
Contact tracing
Most COVID-19 cases are of people who returned from Maharashtra
"Contact tracing of coronavirus cases found in Gujarat over last one week revealed that a large number of cases are of the people who have returned from Maharashtra and those who got in contact with them," the Health Department said. Surat Municipal Corporation had earlier made it mandatory for people coming to that city from other states to remain in home-isolation for seven days.
COVID-19 fresh cases
Gujarat recorded highest daily spike on Tuesday
Gujarat on Tuesday reported its highest single-day rise of 1,730 fresh cases, taking the overall count to 2,90,679. Of the new cases, 502 have been reported from Ahmedabad, 476 in Surat, 142 in Vadodara, and 117 in Rajkot. However, Gujarat has also reported 1,255 recoveries and four deaths. Currently, the active caseload in the state stands at 8,318.