Surat, Jul 15 (PTI) Surat reported 236 new coronavirus patients on Wednesday -- highest in Gujarat -- which took the case tally in the district to 9,186, officials said.

The death toll rose to 355 with five more patients succumbing.

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On the other hand, 223 patients were discharged, so the number of recovered patients in the district rose to 5,691, officials added.

Amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the district, the Gujarat government assured that there were enough hospital beds.

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A new hospital with 1,000-beds will become operational by July 20, and another with 800 beds will be operational by August 15, officials said.

The administration, which has been accused by some NGOs and crematoriums of under-reporting COVID-19 deaths, said on Wednesday that fatalities are being reported as per central guidelines.

Finance Secretary Milind Torawane, who is the in- charge for COVID-19 in Surat, said figures of deaths being released are those of confirmed COVID-19 patients who died.

The number of bodies that are being cremated remains high as even suspected cases with comorbidities are being cremated following the same protocol, he said.

"ICMR guidelines say that deceased patients with comorbidities who are suspected but not confirmed to be coronavirus positive should also be cremated as per the same (hygine) protocol in case they are found to be positive later," he said.

"Since all these bodies are wrapped in plastic and cremated as per the protocol, they appear to reflect a high number of COVID-19 deaths," he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)