Surat reports 58 COVID-19 cases; no severe illness, authorities urge caution, not panic

Time of India

a day ago

Surat: COVID-19 cases are steadily rising in Gujarat, with Surat reporting 58 cases so far. However, officials have confirmed that all patients are stable, with no serious illness or deaths reported.
According to health department officials, special training has been provided to doctors in government and municipal hospitals across Surat to prepare for any potential surge. Authorities have also reviewed medicine stocks in various hospitals, and supplies are reported to be sufficient.
Dr Khushboo Patel, Deputy of the Vaccine Branch, said, "58 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Surat. There are currently 166 active cases in Surat.
Only one patient is hospitalised in a private facility and is stable. Fifty-five patients are in home isolation and recovering well. No cases have shown links to international travel. Special training has been given to our medical teams, and medicine stocks have been thoroughly checked."
She emphasised that there is no cause for alarm. "There is nothing to be afraid of right now. We've taken the necessary precautions, including training health staff and ensuring medicine availability. The situation is under close watch, and we're prepared to manage any spike in cases," Dr Patel added.
She also advised residents to avoid crowded places if experiencing symptoms like cold or cough and reiterated that the situation remains under control.
"The number of cases is not increasing rapidly, but we have systems in place to manage any escalation. This is not something to panic about," she said.
Preparations for beds and medical infrastructure have already been made at Surat's two major government hospitals -- Civil Hospital and SMIMER -- according to the Surat Municipal Corporation.
Officials said that while a significant surge is unlikely, response teams are on standby.
Earlier, in view of the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in India, a series of technical review meetings were held on June 2 and 3 under the chairpersonship of Dr Sunita Sharma, Director General of Health Services (DGHS), with various representatives.
According to a release, the representatives include Disaster Management Cell, Emergency Management Response (EMR) Cell, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and Central Government Hospitals in Delhi and with representatives from all States and UTs to evaluate the current COVID-19 situation and preparedness measures.
As of June 4, 2025, India reported 4,302 active COVID-19 cases, an increase of 864 cases in the past 24 hours.
Most cases are mild and managed under home care. Since January 1, 2025, 44 deaths have been reported, primarily among individuals with pre-existing illnesses. States have been instructed to ensure the availability of oxygen, isolation beds, ventilators, and essential medicines. A mock drill assessing oxygen supply systems (PSA plants, LMO tanks, MGPS lines) was conducted on June 2, 2025. Facility-level preparedness mock drills are planned for June 4 and 5.
State and District surveillance units under IDSP are closely monitoring Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI). Testing is recommended for all admitted SARI cases and 5% of ILI cases, as per guidelines. Positive SARI samples are sent for Whole Genome Sequencing through the ICMR VRDL network.
The public is advised to practice hand hygiene and cough etiquette, and avoid crowded places when unwell. Individuals with acute respiratory illness should self-monitor and seek medical care if symptoms worsen. Trusted sources like MoHFW's website and PIB releases should be followed to avoid misinformation and rumours.
Union Health Ministry closely monitors the situation and remains committed to ensuring public health safety through timely interventions and effective communication.