Over 500 kept under observation after arrival from abroad

Amaravati: A total of 580 people, who returned to Andhra Pradesh from various foreign countries in recent days, have been kept under home isolation in the state and another 22 under hospital observation, the Medical and Health Department said here on Tuesday.

In a bulletin, the department said no positive cases of novel coronavirus have been reported in the state after the one in Nellore on March 12. In all, 852 people have been identified over the last few days for observation, of which 250 have completed the 28- day observation period. Of the 100 blood samples tested, 90 turned negative and only one positive.

The result of the remaining nine cases is awaited, the bulletin said. The state government has been enforcing Sections 2, 3 and 4 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 to check the spread of coronavirus. Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney constituted an eight-member inter-department coordination committee, with Special Chief Secretary (Health) as the member-convenor, and special chief secretaries-principal secretaries of various departments as members for taking up concerted measures to contain Covid- 19.