Corona situation alarming in AP

Anantapur/Tirupati: With Andhra Pradesh facing a huge surge in corona cases, the state government has decided to spend an additional Rs 1000 crore for providing better facilities to COVID-19 patients. It has also decided to set up additional 54 hospitals for treatment of the patients.

This was decided at a review meeting held by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday. The CM asked hospitals to top up with supply of even costly medicines like Remedesivir and Tocilizumab to treat patients.

Reports indicate that the surge in the Rayalaseema region particularly, Anantapur and Chittoor districts, was very high. In Anantapur district, 1016 new cases were registered on a single day on Friday, A district which was gripped by fear psychosis when cases were at its low in the recent past took it casually when hardly any deaths were reported and the figures were lowest in the state.

People have been roaming recklessly on the streets which resulted in a surge in positive cases and the district now tops the list in the state with cases soaring to a staggering 7,500.

Active cases in the district are 2,400 and those who recovered from the virus stand at 4,315. As many as 2500 positive cases are under treatment in the government corona care centres at Kims Saveera, Amaravati, Gafoor and Divya hospitals, Hindupur government hospital, SKU, JNTU, Narayana and Vivekananda hospitals.

In Tirupati too, the situation is alarming. The surge in positive cases each day has been ringing alarm bells for the people and officials as well. During the last 24 hours from 9 am on July 23 to 9 am on July 24, 630 cases were reported in the district.

The pandemic spreads rapidly in the pilgrim city which accounted for 315 fresh cases in 24 hours and together with Tirupati rural the figure goes to 365. The tally of Tirupati and its rural segment reached 3555 cases.

About 42 percent cases in the district are found in Tirupati city only taking the city's tally to 3100 cases. With another 2000 samples from the city are awaiting results, it has become a matter of grave concern.

The death toll was also mounting with 74 Covid infected persons losing their lives so far of which Tirupati city accounts for 29.

With the rising number of cases, the number of containment zones is also going up. Following the instructions of District Collector Dr N Bharat Gupta to impose lockdown when more than 20 cases are reported, several mandals have become total containment areas with no activity after 11 am.

Tirupati city is wearing a deserted look after 11 am daily. The lead bank has issued guidelines stipulating business hours from 7.30 am to 10.30 am. This is applicable to all bank branches in the entire district.

The Collector said that they have been exploring the possibilities of extending Covid services at all Area hospitals in the district. Nagari area hospital has been identified as Covid centre for taking up the tests for the people of Nagari and Satyavedu constituencies.