Congress MLA Imran Khedawala on Tuesday tested positive for the coronavirus COVID-19 in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, hours after meeting Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and several others leaders. Khedawala represents the Jamalpur-Khadia constituency in Ahmedabad.
Along with Gujarat CM Rupani, he also met Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and Minister of State for Home Pradeep Singh Jadeja. He also met several journalists. Gujarat has so far recorded 617 COVID-19 cases, a bulk of them from Ahmedabad city, and 26 deaths.
Ahead of imposing curfew in Old City (Fort) and Danilimbda areas of Ahmedabad city, CM Rupani met the Congress MLA, along with Gyassuddin Sheikh, and Sailesh Parmar. The curfew will take effect from 6 am April 15 till 6 am on April 21
"Ahmedabad city has over 350 cases and many of them have come from the Fort area (Old City). We have decided to impose curfew in the Fort and Danilimbda areas from Wednesday morning," Rupani had said in a Facebook video.
"The area has many (infection) hotspots. Nobody should come out of their houses in these two areas for the next few days. Police will ensure strict implementation of curfew. Our health department team will work hard to contain the spread of COVID-19 in these areas in the next few days and everybody should cooperate with it," he had said.
People of the two localities will not face any problem getting essential commodities, the chief minister assured. "We will relax curfew from one pm to four pm every day when essential items such as milk, vegetables, groceries or medicines can be bought. But only women will be allowed to venture out during the period of relaxation," he said.
He welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to extend the lockdown till May 3. "Lockdown will be strictly observed in the entire state till May 3 to defeat coronavirus. I urge people to cooperate with the state administration in the implementation of lockdown as they have done in the first 21 days," he said.