Mahima
The Gujarat High Court observed, “Figures given by State are not matching with the actual number of positive cases”.
The bench of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Bhargav Karia also observed that had the State taken pre-emptive steps earlier, the current grim situation of Covid-19 could have been evaded.
While the AG maintained that the State is thoroughly prepared, the CJ remarked that the State does have the machinery and the resources to take things under control but that is not being done.
The Court also highlighted that if the government’s statistics were correct, shortage of Remdesivir (the anti-viral drug used for treatment of corona patients) becomes inexplainable.
The Court commented on the hoarding and selling of Remdesivir, “WHO has a different concept, ICMR has another, state has different concept, people don’t know (its use)… Unnecessarily Remdesivir has been made amrut!”
The AG underscored that the expert committee of doctors have informed that the drug should only be administered in emergency when the person is down with fever for 4-5 days and the oxygen level is below 90 as it has side effects.
The AG further submitted that around 1 crore combined RTPCR and Antigen tests were done out of which 3L tested positive and all districts have the facility except he one district of Dang.
He further informed that drive through Rapid Antigen test drives have been organised and that measures are being taken for improving labs’ testing capabilities and collecting samples from people’s homes.
The AG also submitted that infected people are being accommodated in health centres and being shifted to higher facilities on worsening condition.
The AG also notified the court than the new strain is peculiar and even on having all the symptoms, the RTPCR test shows negative due to which doctors have to send to CT Scan for confirmation.
The Court lastly directed the State to submit more information on bedding, etc and get CT Scan facilities.
