Tirupati: Unlock 4.0 gives jitters as Corona cases hit 40k milestone
Chittoor District Collector Dr N Bharat Gupta participating in the Covid coordination committee meeting in Tirupati on Tuesday. TUDA chairman Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy is also seen.
Tirupati: The Chittoor district crossed a grim milestone of 40,000 positive cases and around 440 deaths even as Unlock 4.0 set in on Tuesday. The lifting of all restrictions under the Centre's guidelines triggered fears that infection and fatality rates may zoom further.
In 160 days time since the first case was registered in the district on March 24, the total number of positive cases rose beyond expectations reaching the 40,000 mark. The virus spread was rather slow initially but it never looked back since July and further intensified in August.
In the first 100 days, there were a little over 1,600 positive cases in the district whereas in the next 30 days itself more than 10,000 cases were registered. In August alone about 28,400 cases have been reported.
Tirupati urban and rural together account for over 20,000 positive cases. Similarly, these two mandals have witnessed about 200 deaths. Gudupalli mandal of Kuppam constituency stands at the bottom of Covid positive cases table with just 20 cases so far and zero deaths. However, around 30,000 patients have been cured and discharged so far while more than 9,000 patients are in isolation.
The officials have been saying that following unlock 4.0 guidelines all restrictions on opening of business establishments, parks and other public places were removed from Tuesday. It was learnt that containment zone norms would also be changed and hereafter it confines to the positive case patient's house only. While parks and other places have been thrown open for the public, no decision was taken yet on SV Zoological park in Tirupati.
However, the officials have been making elaborate arrangements to provide more testing and treatment facilities. According to one official, hereafter people should take care of themselves even more as the virus spread may be rampant with everything being opened. Wearing masks, washing hands and maintaining physical distancing would be ensured everywhere as there are no alternatives at present.